


Catching The Coin

by KuroKoneko_Kamen



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: AlternateEnding, F/M, FixitFic, LordofLight, Love Triangle, Magical Pregnancy, No-face assassins, Pregnancy, RedPriestess, Warging, no one - Freeform, questforcure
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-29
Updated: 2019-07-05
Packaged: 2020-03-26 19:01:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 76,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19011931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KuroKoneko_Kamen/pseuds/KuroKoneko_Kamen
Summary: When Jon awakens to his Green Seer powers he has a vision of a possible future where he kills Daenerys. Jon sets out to change events in order to save the woman he loves, and tries to prevent Daenerys’s descent into madness.During Daenerys’s attack on King’s Landing she is blinded while trying to save Jon. Jon won’t allow Daenerys to remain trapped in a world of darkness and is determined to find a magical cure.Jon, Daenerys, Arya, Gendry and Daario set out on a quest to find the very first weirwood tree and the source of all magic.Meanwhile, the Many-faced god knows that Jon cost him tens of thousands of lives, and isn’t pleased. Death is playing the Game of Thrones too and is determined to win.The Doom is coming…!





	1. Melting Ice

Catching The Coin

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Game of Thrones, or a Song of Ice and Fire.

 

I am no master to quote history at you, Your Grace, swords have been my life, not books. But every child knows that the Targaryens have always danced too close to madness. Your father was not the first. King Jaehaerys once told me that madness and greatness are two sides of the same coin. Every time a new Targaryen is born, he said, the gods toss the coin in the air and the world holds its breath to see how it will land.

-Ser Barristan

 

Chapter 1: Melting Ice

 

“What the fuck?” Jon burst out as he regained consciousness or rather lucidity. His head was pounding. It felt like someone had hit him over the head with a sledgehammer. His heart was jack-rabbiting inside his chest a mile a minute. Had he died again, and someone brought him back to life?

Where the fuck was he? The last thing he remembered was being back at The Wall again and riding off into the forest with Tormund and the other wildlings…

And now he was back at Winterfell. Jon knew this because as his blurry eyes cleared and he looked up he saw the red leaves of the weirwood tree above him from his position sprawled on the ground. And it was freezing.

Wait…hadn’t he been helping Bran back to the castle when they ran over a tree root by accident? Or had the tree tripped them up on purpose? Something fucked up had happened. Jon remembered the tree root springing out of the ground abnormally or maybe magically.

Bran’s chair had started to topple over and Jon had tried to stop this from happening. Somehow, Jon had ended up on the ground with Bran on top of him and one of his hands touching the weirwood tree. Jon looked down at Bran lying on his chest in concern. “Are you alright?”

Bran moaned and opened his eyes. “I believe so…”

Jon pushed Bran off of him, rolling the young man onto his back, and then stood up. He righted the wheelchair before picking Bran up and depositing him back in his chair. Still feeling out of sorts, Jon scratched his head. “Your Majesty, forgive me, but I don’t remember returning to Winterfell. And shouldn’t you be at King’s Landing?”

A crooked smile formed on Bran’s face. “Your Majesty? Jon, I think you must have hit your head on that branch.”

Jon blinked. “This is no time for mind games, Your Majesty. Why am I at Winterfell? The last thing I remember is accompanying Tormund and the wildlings beyond the wall to help them start anew…”

Bran’s expression sobered and turned grim as he suddenly remembered Jon’s eyes turning solid white right before the wheelchair debacle. “Hodor…” He muttered to himself and then shook his head. “Jon, tell me, who currently sits upon the Iron Throne?”

Jon let out an exasperated sigh and ran a hand back through his hair. “Technically, there is no more Iron Throne, as you know, not after Drogon destroyed it. After I…gods…Dany…” Jon shuddered as a wave of pain washed over him. He couldn’t help it, even now, just remembering what he’d done to Dany would make him physically ill. “You were chosen to be King by the Lords of Westeros. King Bran the Broken. King of the 6th Kingdoms…”

A horrified and slightly confused expression settled on Bran’s face. He frowned. “I was chosen to be King? That’s ludicrous. I can’t be King. I’m the Three-eyed Raven. Jon, listen to me. Cersei Lannister currently sits on the Iron Throne. She’s just declared war on Daenerys by executing Missandei.”

Jon staggered backwards a few steps out of shock. “What? Cersei…but Cersei is dead,” Jon said in a gruff voice. “Buried beneath the rubble of the Red Keep.”

“Cersei is alive. Jon, something happened when your eyes turned white and you tripped over that tree branch. I’ve seen this phenomenon before. I have reason to believe my future self decided to try and communicate with you here in the present, for some reason. And when you touched the weirwood tree at the same time…you ended up having a vision of the future.”

The blood started to drain out of Jon’s face and his body started to tremble slightly. “You’re telling me that all that horror was just…a vision of the future? And Cersei is really still alive? But then, that would mean…Dany…she’s still alive too?”

Bran nodded. “Daenerys is still alive. Yes.”

“Dany. She’s alive,” Jon choked out. “I haven’t…killed her yet.”

“Jon, what you saw isn’t necessarily the future. The future isn’t writ in stone. The future is determined by a man’s choices. That was only a _possible_ future,” Bran was quick to explain upon seeing the turmoil on Jon’s face and wanting to soothe his brother. “Because you have seen it, if you wish, you can change it. Or not. It’s entirely up to you.”

“I…can change the future?” Jon murmured and shook his head. “But, I shouldn’t…”

“Why?” Bran asked.

“Because I did the ‘right thing’.” Jon’s expression was haggard and pained. “I did my duty to the Seven Kingdoms. I chose the happiness of everyone else over my own. Duty is the death of love.”

“So…you’re unhappy in this possible future?” Bran prodded.

“Miserable,” Jon admitted. “I feel…dead inside.”

“Jon, I think there’s a reason why you were allowed to see the future. I think you deserve the chance to be happy. You already died once upholding duty and putting others before yourself. You’ve already sacrificed your happiness and love before. Remember Ygritte?” Bran questioned with his dark eyes boring into Jon.

With the way Bran was speaking Jon knew that Bran had seen his past with Ygritte, and it made him flush a little out of embarrassment.

“I think that once again sacrificing yourself for others caused an imbalance in the world that needed to be righted. This is about you, Jon, because at the moment the world apparently actually revolves around you.” Bran offered Jon a small smile. “I think it’s time for you to be selfish and not selfless. Tell me, what do you most regret about that possible future?”

“I…I killed the woman I love, Bran,” Jon admitted softly. “I know it’s wrong to love her. To desire her. But I did love her. No, I mean, I _do_ love her. She’s still alive…”

“Why do you feel it’s wrong to love Daenerys?” Bran questioned with a perplexed look on his face.

“Well, she’s my aunt…” Jon said barely above a whisper. He never thought he’d voice his disquiet about this revelation aloud.

“You’re the last two Targaryens in this world, Jon. The last two survivors of an entire race of people with a unique connection with dragons. You were meant to be together. Destiny brought you two together even when oceans had separated you both. You were meant to meet her and fall in love with her,” Bran said sternly. “Besides, you’ve already crossed that line. You’ve already slept with her.” Jon flinched at Bran’s bluntness. “You can’t uncross that line now and take it back. You two have become lovers. You need to take responsibility for your actions, as a man. You need to stop making excuses about why you can’t love her, and be brave enough to love the woman you love, instead of running away from your feelings and from her.”

 _He’s right._ Jon thought to himself as he hung his head out of shame. _I have crossed the line already._ _I can’t uncross it._ “Running away?” He murmured aloud. “Is that what I really did? I ran away from Dany and my incestuous feelings for her and I killed her because I was afraid. Afraid of these dark desires inside myself. I’m a ball-less coward…”

“Even Jaime Lannister was brave enough to love his own sister despite what the world would think about that,” Bran felt the need to point out mercilessly. “When I found out their secret…Jaime tried to kill me by pushing me out the tower window. Jaime was willing to kill an innocent boy to protect his love.”

Jon frowned. “But that’s…horrible. I could never…” He trailed off.

“You couldn’t kill for Daenerys?” Bran asked.

“Well, not an innocent child!” Jon snapped heatedly.

“What about a tyrannical queen?” Bran asked with a cunning glint in his dark eyes.

“You mean Cersei?” Jon asked.

“Jon, you know the future. Surely, you know enough that you could use this knowledge to your advantage and cut the head off the snake yourself?” Bran suggested keenly.

Jon nodded to himself. “If I kill Cersei myself and take her head to Daenerys…it would change everything. But how would I get to King’s Landing before Daenerys?”

Bran gave Jon a deadpan stare. “Jon, you are Aegon Targaryen. You are a Dragon Rider. I’m sure Daenerys wouldn’t mind if you borrow Drogon for such an important secret mission.”

Jon’s eyes widened. “Why didn’t I think of that?”

“I’m the Three-eyed Raven,” Bran said smugly.

“If I succeed in all this…you probably won’t become King,” Jon said in an almost apologetic tone.

Bran gave his brother a bland look. “You think I actually care? I am the Three-eyed Raven.” Bran reached out to touch Jon’s arm. “I just want the people who used to be my family to be happy. You, Sansa, and Arya.”

Jon scrubbed a hand down his face thinking of his sister Sansa. “Sansa…” he groaned.

“What is it?” Bran asked in a concerned tone.

“No…it’s just Sansa has been following in Little Finger’s footsteps. If she hadn’t broken her promise to me and told Tyrion the truth of my origins then things could have been different.” Jon let out a heavy sigh. “But it’s too late to go back and change that now…she is literally speaking with Tyrion about this right now. I have to try and change the future from this point onwards. As long as Sansa is Queen of the North she’ll be happy and appeased. Gods, she’s a spoiled brat. But I still love her. I killed Daenerys for her, but…I won’t this time.”

“What would make _you_ happy?” Bran asked.

“I want Daenerys alive and on the Iron Throne…” Jon paused. “And sane.”

“Loneliness breeds insanity, Jon,” Bran said wisely.

Jon nodded. “Don’t worry. I won’t leave her alone this time. I won’t run away from my feelings and these dark desires inside of me. I will own them, and be a man. And grow some balls! I must go to her. She needs me. After I’ve seen to Daenerys’s well-being I’ll kill Cersei.”

“Good luck, Jon.” Bran offered his brother a crooked smile.

“Thank you, Bran.” Jon’s voice was thick with emotion. “You really are something _else_ now.” He winked.

“I know,” Bran agreed cheekily.

***

When Jon returned to Dragonstone castle at Blackwater Bay, Jon wasn’t surprised to be greeted by Lord Varys at the beach just as he was getting out of his boat. Things were happening exactly as they had in that damned possible future, and it instantly made Jon feel uneasy.

“The Northern Armies?” Varys questioned without preamble.

“Just crossed the Trident. They’ll be at the walls of King’s Landing in two days. How is she?” Jon said, and almost bit his tongue when he realized he was saying the same things again.

“She hasn’t seen anyone since we returned. Hasn’t left her chambers. Hasn’t accepted any food…” Varys said in a sad voice.

A wave of anger suddenly crashed through Jon. Daenerys hadn’t eaten for three days because she suspected someone was trying to poison her and that someone was Lord Varys. _How can he say that to me with a straight face?_ Jon wondered. “Thank the gods…” Jon muttered darkly.

“What?” Varys asked, confused.

Jon gave Varys a fierce look. “Thank the gods she didn’t eat anything you tried to give her, you two-faced bastard!” Jon grabbed Varys by the front of his shirt and glared into his face. “I know you’ve been trying to poison her!”

Startled, Varys’s eyes widened like a deer caught in the torchlight. “How did you…?” He quickly schooled his shocked and confused expression into a blander one. “Yes. I tried to have her poisoned,” he admitted in a dull, resigned tone.

Jon grunted and punched Varys hard across the face. “You bastard! You tried to kill our queen!”

Varys rubbed his aching jaw and licked his split, bloody lip. “I don’t regret my actions. I’m worried about the people of King’s Landing. They say every time a Targaryen is born the gods toss a coin and the world holds its breath.”

“I won’t let that coin fall. Not this time!” Jon snarled in outrage. “It’s not Daenerys’s fault she went mad. You all drove her to it. It’s all your fault. It’s everyone’s fault with all their backstabbing and scheming. Because of you bastards Dany lost faith in humanity. I see that now. I could have stopped all this bullshit, but I just let it all happen. Dammit.”

Confusion swam in Varys’s eyes. “You sound like you think Daenerys has gone mad already?”

“She’s not mad…yet,” Jon said in a chill tone. “And I don’t plan on letting her go mad again. This time…I’ll get it right. This time I won’t leave her alone with her demons. This time I will slay her demons for her. One by one. The blood will be on _my_ hands.”

“What are you talking about?” Varys said in a slightly exasperated tone. “You’re acting as though you’ve seen the future, but that’s impossible…”

“I did see the future, Lord Varys,” Jon said. “I had a little help from the Three-eyed Raven. Daenerys will execute you for this betrayal with dragon fire.”

Varys shrugged carelessly. “I expected no less from the Mother of Dragons if I were caught, but it was worth the risk. I have known more Kings and Queens than any man living. I’ve heard what they say to crowds, and seen what they do in the shadows. I have furthered their designs, however horrible. But what I tell you now is true: You will rule wisely and well, while she…” Varys put his hands out before him in a helpless gesture.

Jon was irritated Varys was spouting the same nonsense as last time. “I don’t want it. I never have. She is my queen.” Jon suddenly remembered Bran’s words: _You won’t kill for the woman you love?_

“If I take you to Dragonstone right now Dany will learn of your betrayal, and she’ll be hurt, and then execute you. And she’ll have more blood on those pretty hands of hers. No. I won’t let Daenerys get any more blood on her hands. I have to protect her…from herself. It’s the only way to stop her from going mad. That’s why, Lord Varys, I will kill you myself with my own two hands. I will be judge and executioner.” Jon reached out and wrapped his hands around Varys’s throat and started to strangle him.

Tyrion ran down the beach towards Jon with a horrified look on his face. “Jon! What are you doing?”

“Stay back, Tyrion!” Jon yelled as he continued to strangle Varys. “This man tried to poison Daenerys! He tried to kill our queen!”

“I know…” Tyrion admitted in a sad voice. “I was going to tell her. But please…he’s my friend.”

“If you cared about his well-being you shouldn’t have told him the truth of my origins,” Jon snapped with obvious irritation. “You’ve killed him with your big mouth, Tyrion.”

Varys started to laugh while choking. “I was right. I was right about her. You won’t be able to stop it…her descent into madness. It’s futile…”

“What is he talking about?” Tyrion questioned in concern as he glanced between Jon and Lord Varys.

“Nothing,” Jon snapped and turned his attention back to Varys. “It may be futile, but I will fucking try. Goodbye, Lord Varys.” Jon broke his neck.

***

Jon was audaciously waiting for Daenerys to find him in her bedchamber. He was seated in a chair by the fire that had a small table in front of him. On the table he’d set down a bag of dried fruit that he’d brought back with him from Winterfell for Dany. He knew that she must be starving. He hoped she liked the fruit and felt a little nervous about the impromptu gift. When he thought back he realized he’d never given Daenerys a gift and then felt guilty over it.

Abruptly, Daenerys burst through the bedroom door and slammed it shut behind her. “Jon!” Her eyes were blazing with fury in her haggard, pale face.

Jon stood up from his seat and turned to face her. Daenerys looked awful and yet she was a sight for sore eyes. His eyes burned with unshed tears and he stumbled towards her with his arms outstretched before him and looking like an idiot.

Daenerys paused in stalking towards him and gave him a suspicious look. She crossed her arms over her chest. “You killed Lord Varys.”

“He was trying to have you poisoned…” Jon explained, trying to keep his voice steady. _She’s alive!_ He thought, feeling light-headed. _She’s really still alive._

Daenerys’s eyes flashed. “I should have had him executed myself. I didn’t give you permission to execute him, Jon,” she chided in a stern tone.

Jon gave Daenerys a chagrined and yet hopeful look. “I know. Forgive me?”

“Why did you do it?” Daenerys demanded with a curious tilt of her head. “I was under the impression you were friends with Lord Varys.”

Jon walked forward, and took Daenerys’s hands in his. “I didn’t want these pretty hands to be stained with his blood.”

Daenerys frowned. “The blood of an innocent?”

Jon shook his head. “No. The blood of a traitor.” He sighed. “There’s enough blood on your hands, Dany.”

“Are you calling me a murderer?” Daenerys questioned with a dark edge to her voice.

Jon could see the haunting shadows in Daenerys’s eyes and knew that he had to tread carefully. “No. You’re a dragon,” Jon said, and offered her a lopsided smile.

Daenerys let out a sigh and could feel her anger draining out of her. It was hard to stay mad at Jon when he was looking at her like that. Still, there was something else that needed to be addressed. “What did I say would happen if you told your sister?”

“I don’t want to sit on the throne, Dany, and that’s what I told Varys,” Jon said, frowning as he realized that this was the same conversation that he’d had with Daenerys in the war council room after Varys’s execution in that possible future.

“She betrayed your trust, and put you in a position where you felt you had to kill Varys for me. She had a hand in his death as much as you did. This is a victory for her. Now she knows what happens when people hear the truth about you. Far more people in Westeros love you than love me. I don’t have love here. I only have fear,” Daenerys explained in a sad, lost tone.

Jon swallowed a lump of panic as this conversation was going the exact same way it had last time, but he was determined to change things. “I love you.” His voice cracked. Did he really have the right to utter those words to her face? “And you will always be my queen.”

“Is that all I am to you?” Daenerys approached him with an open, hopeful expression on her face. “Your queen?”

 _This is the moment when I rejected her._ Jon thought. _I ran away from my dark desires. From her. From myself. I was a ball-less coward. But I won’t run away again. Not this time._

“Only your queen?” Daenerys questioned softly, lust and love shinning in her gray eyes.

Jon’s expression was guilty and sad. _She really does love me. She loved and trusted me so much I was able to slip a dagger into her heart so damned easily. Fuck._

Jon reached out, cupped Daenerys’s cheek, and gave it a tender caress. “You’re so beautiful.”

Daenerys recoiled slightly. “I look like shit. I haven’t eaten anything or slept in three days…”

“You’re still beautiful,” Jon said adamantly. _And alive._ He added silently to himself. “Daenerys, I’m sorry I pushed you away. We never did talk about _why_ I did that. I was afraid of myself…of my dark desires. It’s wrong…I feel like it’s wrong to want you and to desire you, but…I do.” This time Jon was determined to be honest with himself and his feelings.

“You do?” Daenerys whispered in a hopeful tone.

Jon nodded solemnly. “I love you, Dany,” he said right before he kissed her.

Daenerys made a sound of surprise before eagerly kissing Jon back. She melted into his demanding, possessive kiss. She wrapped her arms around Jon’s neck and ran her fingers through his silky curls soothingly. Jon was acting strangely and she was worried about him.

Daenerys’s lips were soft and pliant beneath his own. He felt a stab of guilt as he couldn’t help but remember how he’d kissed Dany in much the same way in the throne room just before stabbing her in the heart. His eyes burned with unshed tears. He didn’t deserve to be kissing her again like this. Ultimately, he’d betrayed her. Silent tears slid down Jon’s face as he kissed her.

When Daenerys tasted salt on her lips she placed her hands on Jon’s chest and pushed him back. Jon obligingly pulled back and stared into Daenerys’s gray eyes.

Daenerys’s gray eyes widened at the sight of Jon crying. “Jon, you’re crying. Why?”

Jon tried to smile at her, but it was a crooked, strained smile. “I…I just love you so much, Dany.”

Daenerys’s lips dipped in a frown out of confusion and worry. Did Jon feel guilty about giving into his ‘dark desires’? Jon had been raised in an extremely conservative house. Was Jon being silly or was she the one who’d been messed up by her perverted brother’s advances.

She’d become twisted and accepted things that probably weren’t normal. Was Jon pushing himself to be with her intimately even though it made him uncomfortable? “I’m…glad. But that shouldn’t make you sad. What are you so afraid of, Jon? That I’ll betray you…because I won’t. I…love you.”

“I know you do, Dany,” Jon said in a husky voice. “I’m just afraid that this is a dream.”

Daenerys’s concerned expression turned amused. “You’re not dreaming.” She grabbed Jon’s hand and placed it over her heart. “I’m real. Can you feel that? My heart is beating so fast because of you. Make love to me, Jon. I want to be a woman who loves a man, and nothing more for at least a little while. Give me that. I need it.”

Jon nodded with an intense look in his eyes. He picked Daenerys up into his arms and set her down gently on the bed. It didn’t take them long to both undress, and then Jon was crawling over Dany’s naked body and capturing her lips with his own.

Daenerys spread her legs wide and eager. Jon settled himself comfortably between her legs and grinded his erection against her core as he kissed her. He was already so hard it was painful, but he ignored his own needs for the moment.

Jon prodded at her lips with his tongue seeking entrance. Daenerys opened her mouth readily, and Jon plunged his tongue inside. Jon thrust his tongue in and out of Dany’s mouth mimicking the motions of sex, and making Dany’s toes curl in pleasure. Jon was making her head spin with just his kissing, and the way his tongue was swirling desperately around hers.

Daenerys tried to ‘keep up’ and their tongues danced - a dance of ice and fire. Had she finally managed to melt his icy heart? She wondered. Jon had never kissed her this way before - so desperate and full of unbridled passion. It made her nervous for some reason.

Daenerys pulled back and looked at Jon with a lustful gaze. Her eyes were hooded and her lips kiss-swollen. “I need you inside me, Jon. Now. Stop teasing me. It’s not enough.”

Jon gave her an intense look. “Not yet. I have other plans for you, my Queen.” Jon started to kiss and nibble at the side of her neck. He kissed his way down to her delectable collarbone and nibbled her sensitive flesh there before continuing his way down between her pert breasts.

When Jon took one of Daenerys’s nipples into his mouth and started sucking her eyes flared in surprise. Jon had never done that before, and it felt good. It made heat pool between her legs and made her sex throb. It felt like his mouth was _there_ on her most intimate place. Daenerys arched her back, and crooned.

Jon paid equal attention to Daenerys’s other nipple next. Then he began to place hot, wet kisses down her stomach to her bellybutton. Jon continued his way until he placed a kiss directly over Daenerys’s sex.

Daenerys wondered if her eyes could get any wider with shock. Was Jon going to…?

Growing bolder and more confident with Daenerys’s reactions so far Jon kissed lower and lower until he was licking and kissing her entrance. Upon discovering her swollen pleasure bud, he licked and sucked on it. Daenerys cried out, arched her back, and bucked her hips.

“Jon!” Daenerys put her hands on Jon’s head and pressed him harder against her sex wantonly. “Feels so good. I need more. Harder. More.” Jon eagerly followed his queen’s orders and licked and sucked at her sex while paying extra attention to her clit. “Jon, I’m so close. I’m going to…” Jon nibbled on Daenerys’s clit gently, and this pushed Dany over the edge and she came. “Jon!”

Jon eagerly licked and lapped at her sex, capturing all the drops of her sweet nectar. She tasted like roasted chestnuts.

Jon had never done this to Daenerys before or any woman really. The men of the Night’s Watch used to talk about such things, but Jon didn’t think he’d ever have the balls to actually try it.

But tonight wasn’t about _him_ or _his_ pleasure. Tonight was about Daenerys and _her_ pleasure. She came first.

Jon looked up at Daenerys and their gazes met. Jon licked his lips and Daenerys shuddered.

“Jon, that was incredible,” Daenerys commented in a breathy voice. “What _was_ that?”

Jon shrugged, and chuckled lowly. “Serving my queen?”

With a fire blazing in her gray eyes, Daenerys reached her arms out beseechingly. “Kiss me.”

Jon crawled up Daenerys’s body and captured her lips again. This time he would take her. Now she was truly ready for him.

Jon guided his cock to her entrance, and began to slowly enter her, inch by inch. He wanted to savor the sensation of being inside Daenerys again and of them becoming one.

A stab of guilt and disgust hit Jon. He was ‘fucking his aunt’. A voice that strangely sounded like Tyrion mocked in his mind. No. He was making love to the Dragon Queen. _Fuck fate. Fuck destiny. Fuck blood. I love her. Fuck it all. I want her. This time I will be selfish. This time I won’t lose her. I’ll fight for her. I’ll kill for her. I’ll stain my hands red with blood._

When Jon was finally fully seated inside of Daenerys they both let out a moan of satisfaction. “Mmm.” Jon started to move with slow, languid, shallow thrusts.

It didn’t take long until Daenerys began to writhe beneath him, growing impatient with Jon’s torturous pace.

Daenerys turned her head, breaking their kiss so that she could speak: “Jon, harder. Faster.” She demanded in that imperious tone of hers that made even more blood rush to his cock.

Jon chuckled. “Let’s not rush this. I want to savor this feeling of being inside of you.” _This forbidden feeling._ He thought with another stab of guilt and unease.

Daenerys let out an exasperated huff. “You’re so…insufferable sometimes.”

Jon gave her a bittersweet smile, and slowly made love to Daenerys until he couldn’t control his own lust for her. His pace began to quicken until he was pounding into her. As the bed rocked and Daenerys let out small cries she didn’t seem to mind his sudden roughness. It felt so good. Hot, wet, tight. Complete. Not alone. Loved.

As Daenerys wrapped her legs around Jon’s waist and drove him even deeper inside of her. So deep he felt…something he’d never felt before, kissing the tip of his cock.

Daenerys whimpered at the unfamiliar sensation and whimpered. “So deep…”

Jon pulled back to stare down at Daenerys’s stomach. He was so deep he must have been hitting her womb. Sam had shown him a diagram of the inside of a human woman before. At the time, Jon had been disturbed and disgusted, but now he was intrigued by the implications. He was about to spend his seed directly into Daenerys’s womb.

Was it really true about Daenerys being unable to get pregnant? What if she could get pregnant with his child? Their child could be the ‘prince that was promised’. That way the prophecy would be fulfilled.

Daenerys noticed that Jon was staring intently at her stomach. “Jon?”

Jon placed a hand over Daenerys’s stomach. “What if I put a baby inside of you? What then?”

Daenerys’s eyes flashed with love, lust, and desire. “Then…I’d have to marry you, Jon Snow. No…Aegon Targaryen.”

Jon gawked down at Daenerys in bewilderment. She’d never called him by his true name before. “You would marry me? But I thought you wanted to rule on the Iron Throne…alone.”

“A child would change everything,” Daenerys said simply.

“Would it?” Jon asked breathlessly. Could the solution be so simple? Jon had to impregnate Daenerys somehow. Then they could rule together. _I don’t want the throne._ _But I do want Dany. I have to get it right this time. I’ve been so blind and stupid. I didn’t understand her at all. What she really wanted or needed. It was so simple all along._ _The_ _way to keep her from the madness. All she needed was love. I could have stopped her. Saved her. Protected her from her madness. Instead I killed her. I betrayed her._

Jon kissed Daenerys over her heart, right where he’d plunged the dagger into her flesh. “I’m sorry, Dany…I’m so sorry…” Jon repeated over and over again.

Daenerys grew alarmed and confused. “For what?”

“For being a ball-less coward and running away…” Jon murmured sadly.

Daenerys’s lips curled into a perplexed smile. “You’re not ball-less…I can feel them against me.”

“No more running. You’re mine, Dany,” Jon said fiercely. “I’ll make you mine, and I’ll put a baby in you. I’ll find a way…”

Daenerys’s gray eyes twinkled in amusement. “Do your best. I’ll allow you try as many times as you want.”

Jon thrust hard and came deep inside Daenerys. He found himself praying to the Lord of Light, or perhaps complaining. _Lord of Light…you brought me back. Why? Help me to give Daenerys a child. It’s the only way I can think of to save her. Please…you bastard god. Give me this. You owe me._

The feeling of his hot seed filling her womb pushed Daenerys over the edge and she came next, crying out Jon’s name, and trembling against him. “Jon!”

“Dany!” Jon groaned in response. He collapsed on top of Daenerys, physically and emotionally spent.

Daenerys was amused rather than afraid when she realized she couldn’t breathe properly. “Jon, I can’t breathe…”

Jon rolled off of Daenerys, horrified by his carelessness, and gave her an apologetic look. “Gods, Dany, I’m sorry. I’m such a brute.” This woman was so powerful, and yet so fragile it made his heart ache.

There was a mischievous glint in Daenerys’s eyes. “I may forgive you if you do that thing with your tongue on my cunt again.”

Jon flashed her a lascivious grin before moving down her body and placing his hands on her thighs. He spread her legs and looked up at her. “As you wish, My Queen.” He moved his head between her legs and set to his task of bringing pleasure to his queen.

Daenerys gripped the sheets with her hands, threw her head back, and moaned. “Oh, yes, Jon!”

***

Jon made Daenerys reach the peak of pleasure ten more times until she finally fainted. He felt a little guilty, but he needed Daenerys to be out of it for as long as possible so that he could carry out his plan. _I hope this works…or I’m going to feel like such an ass._

Jon exited Dragonstone and went in search of Drogon. Drogon liked to spend his nights sleeping in a particular cave by the coastline and so that is where Jon headed now. Holding a lit torch aloft, Jon entered the cave. Drogon was already awake, having sensed Jon’s approach.

Jon gulped as the enormous dragon stared intently into his eyes. “I am Aegon Targaryen…and I need a ride to King’s Landing. And you’re going to give me one, okay, boy?”

Drogon just snorted in response, and lowered his head until it was lying flat against the ground. That had to be a good sign, right? Jon set the torch down and started to climb onto Drogon’s back, painstakingly.

Jon managed to mount Drogon and gripped two spikes that were protruding out of the dragon’s back along the ridge of its spine. Jon felt very stupid as he told the dragon: “Uh, let’s go to King’s Landing.”

Drogon exited the cave at a walk, picked up his pace, flapped his wings and then took off, soaring into the night sky. Jon thought he heard a feminine squeak just as they took off, but he must have been imagining things. He was alone on Drogon’s back. Besides, who would be crazy enough to try and hitch a ride on a dragon?

Jon was amazed when Drogon started to fly in the right direction. Just how smart were dragons anyways? Jon mused.

Drogon reached the shores of King’s Landing and flew over the water like a creeping shadow. The dragon was cloaked by the night and darkness. It was a cloudy night, and no stars shone in the sky. Thank the gods. Maybe luck was on his side after all.

Jon heard a splash in the water directly below him just as they reached the shoreline. Had something fallen off Drogon and landed in the water? Had he dropped his sword? Jon’s hand went to the hilt of his sword. No. Longclaw was still strapped to his side. Jon clenched his hand around the hilt of the sword reassuringly. _Phew._ He couldn’t assassinate the queen without a weapon.

Drogon flew over the city and headed towards the palace. “Take me to the courtyard…as low as you can, but do not land. I’ll jump off. I can’t believe I’m talking to a dragon. Maybe I’m the one who’s going mad…”

Drogon snorted and flew towards the palace then swooped low over the courtyard where Cersei had commissioned a map of the seven kingdoms. As soon as they were low enough Jon jumped off Drogon’s back with his knees bent.

The twenty-foot drop was jarring, but he didn’t break anything. Jon held his breath as he watched Drogon silently fly away. Jon’s heart was pounding in his chest. He gulped and waited to see if the alarms would be raised. Jon remained crouched, still, and barely breathing.

A few minutes ticked past and no alarm was raised. He’d done it. He’d successfully infiltrated the palace! Now he just had to go to the queen’s bedchamber and assassinate her.

Jon stealthily made his way down the corridor and headed to the queen’s bedchamber. Bran had told Jon the layout of the castle as they had discussed the nuances of the plan to assassinate Cersei.

Miraculously, Jon reached the door to the queen’s bedchamber unmolested. He opened the door, entered, and closed the door behind him as softly and quietly as possible.

Jon spotted the lavish, four-poster, canopy bed, and approached with silent steps. There she was…Cersei. She was sound asleep, dressed in a gold and red silk nightgown that left very little to the imagination.

Jon approached the bed’s right side, unsheathed his sword, gripped the hilt with both his hands, and raised the sword above Cersei, prepared to drive it down into her heart. He was really going to do this…assassinate Cersei…

Cersei stirred in her sleep, and covered her stomach with her hand. Tears streamed down her face. “My child…I won’t let you die. I promise…I’ll kill her.”

 _My child? Shit._ Jon had forgotten all about how Cersei was pregnant. If he killed Cersei he would also be killing her innocent unborn child!

Jon thought about the charred bodies of a mother embracing her child, completely turned to ash. That had been one of the sights that had spurred him to decide to kill Daenerys. Killing innocent children was where one had to draw the line or else one was just a demon. A monster.

 _Fuck. I can’t do this. I can’t kill an unarmed pregnant woman in her sleep. There is no honor in this._ “Cersei, wake up,” Jon growled lowly.

Cersei stirred awake, blinked her eyes open, and focused on Jon and on the sword hovering over her chest. She opened her mouth with an angry expression on her face.

“Scream and you’re dead,” Jon warned.

Cersei snapped her mouth shut and glared at Jon, but offered him a stiff smile. She sat up in bed and spoke softly. “Jon Snow, how did you get past the guards?”

“I hitched a ride here on a dragon,” Jon revealed smugly.

Cersei raised an eyebrow. “Am I supposed to be impressed? What do you want, Jon Snow? Besides, my death, of course.”

“I was planning on killing you, but…I can’t kill a pregnant woman in her sleep. You may be guilty, and evil and a tyrant, but your child is innocent.”

“Compliments will get you nowhere, Jon Snow,” Cersei drawled coolly. “If you’re not going to kill me…then what are you going to do to me? Fuck me?” She spread her legs invitingly.

Jon gawked down at her and a look of disgust settled over his face. “Gods, no…”

“I’m already pregnant. There’s nothing to worry about,” Cersei said. “No reason not to ravish me right here and now. There’s no one here to stop you. No reason to be noble.”

“I thought you loved Jaime…” Jon said in a hollow tone as he recalled the man’s tragic end.

Cersei’s eyes flashed. “That traitor! I despise him!”

“How can you say that?” Jon blurted out in a chiding tone. “In the end…he dies protecting you. He loved you!”

Cersei’s eyes narrowed at the obvious anger in Jon’s tone. “What are you talking about?”

“The future. I had a vision of the future…” Jon said uneasily. “I don’t expect you to believe me…”

“A vision of the future?” Cersei smiled. “You don’t say? Why don’t you tell me all about this vision of the future of yours over a glass of wine?”

“Alright,” Jon reluctantly agreed. “Should you be drinking in your condition?”

Cersei laughed. “My babies have always liked wine.” She slipped out of bed, grabbed a robe, and tied it around herself. Cersei made her way over to a table, took a seat, and grabbed a bronze wine pitcher. She poured herself a goblet of wine, and another for Jon Snow.

Jon went over to the table and took a seat across from Cersei. This whole situation felt surreal. Cersei slid the goblet across the table towards him with a strange smile on her face. Jon picked up the goblet.

Cersei took a large gulp of wine. “Now, tell me my future, Jon Snow.”

Jon gulped back half the wine goblet before he started telling Cersei the horrible vision of the future he’d seen. Cersei couldn’t help herself from snorting or laughing in a few places, but pretty much stayed silent until the end.

“King Bran the Broken?” Cersei raised her goblet in a mocking manner before draining it completely and slamming the goblet down on the table in front of her. “After everything I went through a cripple ends up on _my_ throne?” A scowl formed on her face at the thought and then her attention turned to Jon. “Jaime and I die…buried beneath the rubble of the Red Keep. And you killed Daenerys…the woman you love. Then it was all for nothing. Everything was utterly pointless. That is one unsatisfying story. The Fates have quite the morbid sense of humor, don’t they? Jaime…failed to protect me. In the end…he was utterly useless.” Cersei let out a frustrated sigh. “I’m surrounded by incompetents. No wonder I lost.”

“Cersei, surrender King’s Landing, and ask Daenerys for her forgiveness,” Jon began in an authoritative tone. “I will ensure the life of you and your child. You have my word that no harm will come to you if you surrender.”

“You want me to surrender and beg your dragon queen for forgiveness?” Cersei’s blue eyes glittered with malice and amusement. “I think not.”

Jon gave Cersei a look of disbelief. “Did you not listen to a single word I just said? You don’t believe me…”

Cersei’s eyes were gleaming with an unholy light. “Oh, but I do believe you and your vision of the future. You wouldn’t have come all this way on a dragon to kill me and then decide not to if you hadn’t _really_ seen the future.”

“I don’t understand…” Jon shook his head helplessly. “Surrendering is your only chance at survival.”

“You’re mistaken. Winning is my chance at survival, and now I know where I went wrong. I won’t make the same mistakes I did last time. This time, I will win. I will defeat the dragon bitch. My Scorpions and Euron failed…I won’t count on them. I’ll come up with a new plan to defeat Daenerys. And now I know her greatest weakness. It has been delivered unto me by the gods - you.” Cersei laughed gleefully. “To think she loved you so much you were able to drive a dagger right through her heart without resistance. Now that’s true love. They say the man you love is your destiny. I almost feel sorry for her, for loving you. She could have had it all. The world on a silver platter. But you destroyed her!”

Jon’s expression turned hard. “I think you’re forgetting something, Cersei.” Jon pointed his sword at Cersei’s throat over the table. “I can _still_ kill you.”

“You’ll kill a pregnant woman after all?” Cersei questioned.

“You’re leaving me with no choice. I’m sorry, but I can’t lose Daenerys again. I can’t let her descend into madness again!” Jon’s voice was tinged with desperation. “I have to save her and protect her from herself, and get blood on my hands instead.” Jon swung his sword.

“Sir Gregor,” Cersei said calmly.

Sir Gregor had appeared out of nowhere and had blocked Jon’s attack with his sword.

Jon gaped at Sir Gregor’s sudden appearance. _Oh shit._

Cersei cackled maniacally. “Did you really think I would sleep alone and unguarded and helpless in my bed? I’m not that naïve…at least, not anymore. I have many enemies. Do you want to know how many would-be assassins Sir Gregor has killed protecting me while I slept?”

“How many?” Jon asked.

“Fifty,” Cersei said casually.

“That’s…horrible,” Jon murmured.

Cersei’s shoulders lifted in a casual shrug. “That’s the price of power. And I am powerful. I’m the Queen…and now I’m even more powerful because I know the future. Thanks to you.”

“Fuck! Get out of my way, Sir Gregor! I _must_ kill her!” Jon swung his sword at Cersei, and Sir Gregor blocked again.

“If you were listening then you know your fate too!” Jon said beseechingly. “You die fighting your brother The Hound!”

Sir Gregor’s red eyes flashed with rage and he swung his sword at Jon. Jon raised his sword to block the attack, and the force of Sir Gregor’s blow had Jon skidding back across the stone floor. _Holy shit. He’s not human. He’s a monster._ Jon thought as a chill of fear crawled up his spine.

Cersei smiled sharply. “You see, Sir Gregor doesn’t care either. He’s like me…a sore loser. Don’t worry, Sir Gregor, I’ll help you devise a way to defeat that pesky brother of yours too while I devise my plan to defeat that dragon bitch…”

A wide, sinister smile spread across Sir Gregor’s face at Cersei’s words.

“I knew you’d like that…” Cersei purred.

Jon let out a desperate battle cry and charged at Sir Gregor. Sir Gregor blocked the blow, and his arms muscles started to bulge before he swung his sword in retaliation. Jon blocked, but this time Sir Gregor had used his full strength, and Jon was sent flying back. Jon was so startled that he lost his grip on Longclaw as he hit the ground hard, the air being knocked out of his lungs.

Jon crawled over the floor and tried to grab the hilt of his sword, but Sir Gregor stepped on Jon’s hand. The knight applied pressure until the bones in Jon’s hand broke, and he yelled in pain.

Sir Gregor kicked Jon’s sword away, reached down, grabbed Jon around the neck, and lifted him up off the floor until he was dangling a foot over the floor.

Jon brought up his hands and tried to pry Sir Gregor’s hands off his neck. _He’s too strong. I’m done for. Dany…I failed you again._

“Stop. Don’t kill him, Sir Gregor,” Cersei said. “We need him alive. He’s going to be my bait for the Dragon Bitch.” Cersei sauntered over to smile up at Jon. “You killed her once and you will be the cause of her death yet again.” She laughed loudly in his face. “I really do feel sorry for her that she had to fall in love with such a pathetic man.”

“Dany…no…” Jon murmured as his vision was darkening, and he sank into unconsciousness.

“Now, where is Qyburn?” Cersei wondered aloud. “I really must get to work setting my trap.” She rubbed her hands together. “This time…I’ll win the Game of Thrones!”

To be continued in…Chapter 2: Oathkeeper

Author’s Note: Thank you for reading. This is my first Game of Thrones fanfic and so please feel free to correct me in a comment below if I get something wrong. I don’t really know what I’m doing. Lol! But the ending of Season 8 was haunting me so badly I couldn’t sleep, and I decided I had to rewrite the ending in order to give all my favorite characters better endings. Or at least, more _romantic_ endings! This is Game of Thrones so there will be blood and violence. But since _I’m_ writing this there will be much more romance. Anyone want a little Brienne/Jaime smut? What about Arya and Gendry? Sansa and The Hound? Just let me know!


	2. Oathkeeper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daenerys receives some unexpected news from the Red Priestess Kinvara that could change everything. And three days prior, Brienne of Tarth decides to stop being a damsel in distress and go save the man she loves from himself.

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Game of Thrones, or a Song of Ice and Fire.

 

_Nothing’s more hateful than failing to protect the one you love._

-Brienne of Tarth

 

Chapter 2: Oathkeeper

 

Daenerys let out a soft moan as she slowly awoke. She reached her hand out blindly expecting to encounter Jon Snow’s presence at her side, but her hand only touched cold bed sheets.

Her gray-blue eyes snapped open and she turned her head to see that she was alone in bed. There was a sinking feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach. After everything that had passed between them last night Daenerys had expected Jon to be with her when she woke up, but he was gone.

She couldn’t help but feel…betrayed. Why had he left her alone? Had he regretted what they’d done last night? He’d called his attraction to her ‘dark desires’. _Oh, Jon, how could you do this to me? How could you betray me?_ She thought morosely but then shook her head. _No. I’m being paranoid. Again. Jon would never hurt me. He’d never betray me. Something must have happened. I must find him immediately._

Daenerys got out of bed, grabbed a robe, wrapped it around her body, and tied it shut. She exited her room and started to walk quickly down one of the corridors. “Jon! Jon? Where are you!”

Tyrion, who’d been waiting patiently for Daenerys in the throne room, exited to see Daenerys looking frantic. “My Queen…” Tyrion called out softly and his expression shifted to concern when he saw the bleak look on her face. “What’s wrong?”

Daenerys’s sharp gray eyes focused on Tyrion. “Tyrion, have you seen Jon?”

Tyrion gave her a searching look and shook his head in an apologetic manner. “No.”

“I need to find him…” Daenerys exclaimed with a slightly wild look in her eyes. She turned on her heel and was about to stalk off in the opposite direction when Tyrion called after her.

“Wait. I received a raven from King’s Landing,” Tyrion began. “It must be from my sister.”

Daenerys paused, a chill going up her spine. She spun around, approached Tyrion, and snatched the rolled up piece of parchment out of his hand. Daenerys broke the wax seal, and unrolled the message. It read:

_Daenerys_

I have your lover Jon Snow. He tried to assassinate me in my sleep last night. Luckily, my faithful companion and most loyal knight Ser Gregor was there to stop the cowardly snake. If you set one foot inside of King’s Landing Jon will be executed for high treason on the spot.

_Cersei Lannister_

_Queen of the Andals and the First Men_

_Protector of the Seven Kingdoms_

_The Queen on the Iron Throne_

Daenerys gasped, raised a hand over her mouth, and was about to sink to her knees when Tyrion quickly grabbed onto her to keep her standing. “Daenerys, what is it? What’s wrong? Come inside the throne room and sit down.” Tyrion guided Daenerys through the open double doors and helped her to make it to the throne.

Daenerys sat down heavily on the throne and clenched the arms of the throne until her knuckles turned white. “Jon went to King’s Landing last night. He must have gone on Drogon. He tried to kill Cersei himself but failed. Your sister has him. If I enter King’s Landing Jon will be executed.” Daenerys handed Tyrion the note.

Tyrion took the note from her shaking hand and read it swiftly. His expression turned thoughtful. “Why would she wait to execute him though?” he mused aloud. “It’s a trap. I don’t know how…but it is. What do you intend to do?”

Daenerys let out a sigh. “My mind has already been made up to invade King’s Landing ever since Cersei declared war on me by executing Missandei. Nothing has changed. Only…the stakes are higher.” A determined expression settled over Daenerys’s face. “I can’t let this affect me. That’s what Cersei wants. Jon will probably die either way, no matter what I do. He’s already dead. But I will avenge him, and Missandei, and my dragon Rhaegal by taking King’s Landing and killing Cersei once and for all.”

Tyrion gulped at the bloodthirsty look on Daenerys’s face. “The people who live there, they’re not your enemies,” Tyrion began to advise sagely. “They’re innocents, like the ones you liberated in Meereen.”

“In Meereen the slaves turned on the Masters and liberated the city themselves the moment I arrived,” Daenerys pointed out.

“They’re afraid. Anyone who resists Cersei will see his family butchered. You can’t expect them to be heroes. They’re hostages,” Tyrion explained with a beseeching look on his face.

“In a tyrant’s grip. Whose fault is that? Mine?” Daenerys questioned with a slight edge to her voice.

“What does it matter whose fault it is?” Tyrion said, giving her a look of disbelief. Daenerys could act so immaturely sometimes it was uncanny. “Thousands of children will die if the city burns.”

“Your sister knows how to use her enemies’ weaknesses against them,” Daenerys contemplated aloud. “That’s what she thinks our mercy is: weakness.”

“I beg you, My Queen…” Tyrion murmured softly.

“But she’s wrong,” Daenerys said firmly. “Mercy is our strength. Our mercy towards future generations who will never again be held hostage by a tyrant.” Daenerys turned her attention to Greyworm, who’d silently entered the throne room and was standing by and awaiting orders. “Greyworm, ready the Unsullied. Tonight you sail for King’s Landing to join the Northern armies.”

Tyrion frowned as he glanced between Greyworm and Daenerys. “Cersei’s followers will abandon her if they know the war is lost. Give them the chance. If the city surrenders, they will ring the bells, and raise the gates. Please, if you hear them ringing the bells, call off the attack.”

“Wait for me outside the city…” Daenerys said to Greyworm. “You’ll know what to do.”

Greyworm nodded and marched out of the throne room.

Tyrion hung his head dejectedly when he realized he was obviously being ignored. He was about to leave the throne room when there was a knock at the double doors that Greyworm had shut behind him.

Daenerys frowned. “Who could that be?” she wondered aloud before saying more loudly: “Enter.”

The double doors opened and in walked the Red Priestess Kinvara, High Priestess of the Red Temple of Volantis, the Flame of Truth, the Light of Wisdom, and First Servant of the Lord of Light.

Daenerys’s eyes widened slightly at the sight of the priestess, and she offered her a stiff smile. “Kinvara, it’s been a long time. You came here all the way from Meereen? How have you been? Why are you here?”

Kinvara curtsied. “I had saw a vision in the flames and I had to come here as soon as possible, My Queen. Only I hope I’m not too late…”

“A vision? About what?” Daenerys questioned, leaning forward slightly on her throne out of curiosity.

Kinvara pointed a finger at Daenerys’s stomach. “You are pregnant with Jon Snow’s child.”

Daenerys’s eyes flared in surprise and she placed a hand over her stomach reflexively. “I’m…pregnant?”

Tyrion grew wide-eyed but then he smiled lopsidedly. _Well done, Jon._ He thought. _This pregnancy could be enough to unite the two of you. There may be hope for the Seven Kingdoms after all._

“Where is Jon Snow?” Kinvara demanded, glancing around the throne room as if expecting Jon to pop out at any moment.

Daenerys paled. “He…he was captured by Cersei. He’s at King’s Landing.”

Kinvara’s hopeful expression fell. “Then…I’m too late. My vision was of Jon Snow being consumed by green flames…”

“Green flames?” Daenerys echoed pensively and then her lips dipped into a thoughtful frown as she remembered her father. “Wildfire…”

“My Queen, you must stay here where it is safe. Don’t go to King’s Landing. It’s too dangerous in your condition. Your son is the Price Who Was Promised. He must be protected at all costs. Or else…our world is doomed.”

Daenerys appeared conflicted for a moment before she removed her hand from her stomach. “This…changes nothing,” she said stonily.

Tyrion’s happy expression turned aghast. “But Daenerys, it’s too dangerous to ride a dragon in your condition. Think of your unborn child!”

“I can’t rest until Rhaegal’s, Missandei’s, and Jon’s deaths have been avenged, and Cersei is dead. Rhaegal was a son to me. Missandei was my best friend who was like a sister to me. And Jon…was the man I loved. The father of my child. And now he’s dead too.”

“He isn’t dead _yet_ ,” Tyrion corrected sternly. “Maybe we could talk to Cersei-”

“The time for talk is over, Lord Tyrion,” Daenerys swiftly cut in. “The time to act is now.” She placed a hand over her stomach. “Jon…left me with a precious gift. Don’t worry. I will be careful, and protect it.”

At that moment, Greyworm entered the throne room again. “My Queen, we’ve received word from Winterfell that Jaime Lannister and Brienne of Tarth have both disappeared.”

Tyrion flinched at the mention of his brother’s name. _Jaime…?_

“My Unsullied were keeping tabs on your brother in case he decided to do something stupid…like going back to your sister,” Daenerys informed Tyrion before a crooked smile formed on her face. “But it appears he’s left with Brienne. Perhaps, Jaime and Brienne have eloped?”

Tyrion forced a smile, but knew something was up. He hoped his brother Jaime was okay. “Jaime…” he murmured.

Daenerys shot Greyworm an intense look. “It is time, my friend.”

“Yes, My Queen,” Greyworm agreed with a fierce look in his eyes. _Finally, I will be able to avenge Missandei’s death. All Lannisters must die!_ Greyworm thought vehemently to himself.

***

Three days earlier…at Winterfell, Brienne stood in her nightgown watching Jaime Lannister ride away from her and feeling like a total idiot. She was so angry with herself and this weak person she’d become. This wasn’t like her…

Tears streaming down her face, Brienne ran back inside the castle, and made her way to her room. She was planning on lying in bed and crying her eyes out until she couldn’t cry anymore, but that’s when she spotted a note lying on the bed.

Brienne picked up the tiny, rolled-up piece of parchment and noted that it was sealed with a wax seal that had a wolf’s head on it. Intrigued, Brienne broke the seal, and unrolled the message. It read:

_Ser Brienne,_

_Jaime Lannister will die pointlessly protecting his Queen, buried beneath the rubble of the Red Keep. I know you love him and decided to give you a choice: you can let him go to his death or you can save him._

_Jon Snow_

Brienne frowned and ran her finger over the drawing of the Three-eyed Raven next to Jon Snow’s signature. _Bran?_ She wondered. Wasn’t Bran supposed to be able to see the future? Then…this note was about the future. Jaime was going to die protecting Cersei. His first and only love…

No. Wait. Maybe Jaime did love her too. Why would Jon trouble himself with sending _her_ a note of all people if it weren’t important?

I believed Jaime cared for me. Then I thought I was wrong because he left, but maybe he’s just running away from his feelings. Brienne thought to herself as she began to pace across the bedroom floor. I have to believe in what we had together. I love Jaime. That I know to be true, at least. And now, I know that the man I love is in danger. Am I going to just lay here and cry like some broken-hearted damsel in distress? Since when have I ever acted like a lady?

A determined expression settled over Brienne’s face. “I will go after Jaime. I’ll stop him, and save him from himself. I am Ser Brienne of Tarth. And I’m no lady. I’m a Knight! I don’t sit around and cry when I don’t like something - I bloody well do something about it!”

Brienne stalked over to a white, porcelain basin filled with water that was sitting on a small wooden table, and splashed water on her face to clean away her tears.

Then, Brienne dressed in her usual armor. No more pretty dresses. She strapped her sword to her side. The one Jaime had given her. She smiled. “I’m coming for you, Jaime.”

Brienne tacked up a horse, and began to follow Jaime’s horse’s tracks off into the woods. When Brienne finally found Jaime he was sitting on a log by a campfire, and trying to warm his hands, er, hand. His horse was tethered nearby. Brienne dismounted her horse and began to walk into the clearing to reveal herself.

Jaime startled at the sound of a branch breaking, his hand going to the hilt of his sword. But when he looked up to see Brienne, his shoulders sagged in relief, and he let go of his sword’s hilt. “Brienne…” His voice was ragged. “How did you find me?”

Brienne calmly walked over to tether her horse beside Jaime’s. “I followed your horse’s tracks. It’s easy to track someone in all this snow…” She waved a hand at the white expanse around them.

“Ah.” Jaime offered her a lopsided smile. “I’m still impressed. So, let me guess, you’re coming with me to King’s Landing?”

Brienne turned to face Jaime, unsheathed her sword, and pointed it at him. “No. I’m here to stop you from going to King’s Landing.”

Jaime blinked in confusion and his brow furrowed. “Brienne, I already told you…Cersei is hateful and I’m hateful too.”

“Well, I don’t believe you,” Brienne said, raising her chin in a show of defiance. “I never would have given you my virginity if I thought you were a petty, hateful man. I _knew_ who I was taking to my bed - a kind, honorable man. The man I fell in love with.”

Jaime blushed. “I…I’m not worthy of your love. I’m not the man you think I am.”

“Yes, you are,” Brienne said firmly. “You’re a better man than you think you are. You just…make all the wrong choices.”

“Thanks. I think,” Jaime said sardonically.

“Jaime, if you want to go to King’s Landing you’ll have to defeat me first,” Brienne declared. “If I defeat you then…you belong to me and your choices are no longer your own. Deal?”

Jaime was equal parts amused and alarmed. “What if I win?”

“You already took my virginity and broke my heart,” Brienne pointed out mercilessly. “But I suppose I will help you get to the Red Keep in one piece if you manage to best me.”

Jaime nodded. “Fair enough. Deal.” Jaime stood up from his seat on the log, unsheathed his sword, and approached Brienne.

Fighting with one hand was exhausting. He would have to try and end this fight as quickly as possible if he wanted to win.

Brienne approached Jaime with a two-handed grip on her sword. Jaime approached Brienne, and was the first to attack. He swung his sword swiftly at Brienne and she blocked his attack with minimal movement.

Undeterred, Jaime swung his sword at Brienne again. Once more, she blocked his strike. _Shit._ She was really good…but he had known that. Still, he couldn’t let her win. He had to get to Cersei.

Brienne continued to block Jaime’s attacks with her sword, remaining on the defensive. She planned to let Jaime tire himself out while swinging his sword one-handed. She knew she had more stamina than Jaime, and in the end this was a battle of endurance.

Jaime swung his sword horizontally, and Brienne raised her sword, prepared to block the blow, when-

Jaime suddenly crouched, bending his knees, and slipped his sword behind Brienne’s legs. He positioned his sword so that the flat of his sword’s blade was pressing against the backs of her knees. Jaime rested the tip of the sword’s blade in the nook between his thumb and forefinger of his gold hand. Then he pulled back with all his strength.

Brienne let out a surprised squeak as the pressure on the backs of her legs caused her to collapse. She ended up on the ground on her back.

Jaime quickly straddled Brienne before she could regain her bearings, and raised his sword, prepared to bring it to her throat and gain her surrender.

However, Brienne sat up quickly, and headbutt Jaime hard in the face.

“Ow! Fuck!” Jaime swore as his nose was broken and he lost his grip on his sword.

Brienne wrapped her legs around Jaime’s hips and flipped them over so that she was on top of and straddling Jaime. Brienne triumphantly put her sword to Jaime’s throat. “I’m not the only one who can fight dirty. Now, yield.”

Jaime looked up at Brienne in disbelief. “I can’t believe you just did that. What kind of lady headbutts a man? I think you broke my nose,” he whined petulantly.

“You’ll live,” Brienne said dryly with an amused twinkle in her blue eyes.

A flash of hurt crossed Jaime’s face. “But I thought the only thing you liked about me was my handsome face?” He pouted.

Brienne let her blue eyes travel over Jaime’s body, down to his crotch, and smiled wolfishly. “You have surprisingly _better_ assets.”

Jaime flushed. “I’m in too much pain to have sex right now, thank you very much…” he grumbled.

“You are such a child,” Brienne chided. “Here.” She grabbed Jaime’s nose and wrenched it back into place.

Jaime cried out in pain. “Ah!” Tears filled his eyes as he looked up at Brienne with a betrayed expression on his face. “You’re no lady. Is that any way to treat the man you claim to love?”

Brienne frowned. “I _do_ love you. And now that I’ve beaten you…you belong to me.”

Jaime sighed. “You weren’t actually being serious about that nonsense were you? Brienne, I have to get to King’s Landing. I have to get to Cersei before they execute her.”

Brienne shook her head disappointedly down at Jaime. “All the wrong choices.” Brienne stuffed a gag into Jaime’s mouth and tied it around his head.

Jaime’s eyes widened in shock. “Mmph!”

Brienne stood up, sheathed her sword, and kicked Jaime’s sword away from him. Brienne went to her horse and fetched a long coil of rope. She returned to Jaime and showed him the rope.

Jaime’s eyes widened in alarm, and he shook his head. “You are my prisoner now…or should I say _again_ , Jaime,” Brienne began mercilessly as she began to uncoil the rope. “I beat you. You belong to me. That was the deal.”

Brienne approached and began to wrap the rope around Jaime. She secured it so that Jaime’s arms were pressed to his sides and his legs were pressed together. When Brienne was done it looked like Jaime was trapped inside a cocoon made of rope. Brienne picked Jaime up, carried him over to his horse, and slung him over the saddle.

Brienne untied the horses, and mounted her own. She grabbed the reins of Jaime’s horse and began to ride into the woods while leading Jaime’s horse beside her.

Jaime let out a confused whine when he realized they weren’t heading in the direction of Winterfell. “Nngh?”

“We’re not going to go back to Winterfell. Not yet. First, I’m going to take you to the nearest village. I need to get us a room at a tavern. I’m going to need a bed for what I plan to do to you, you stubborn idiot.”

Jaime’s eyes widened at that and he wasn’t sure whether or not he should be frowning, smiling, or praying to the gods.

It didn’t take Brienne and Jaime very long to reach a small village. They entered and not long after Brienne spotted a tavern that looked promising. She rode over to it, guiding Jaime’s horse beside hers, and once she’d reached the tavern she dismounted. She tethered both horses up to a wooden fence right outside the tavern.

After that Brienne went around the horse to fetch Jaime. She picked him up and slung him over her shoulders like a sack of potatoes. Jaime let out a surprised squeak. He was amazed by how strong Brienne was at times.

Brienne stalked over to the front door, kicked it open, and made her way inside. The tavern was filled with a lot of rough, tough and dirty looking men. Their attention was immediately on Brienne and her prisoner. Their eyes widened at the sight of a woman carrying a man like that, and they seemed unsure how they should react.

Brienne stomped her way over to the bartender who was polishing a glass with a dirty rag, which was really defeating the purpose of trying to clean it. “I’d like a room, please,” Brienne requested in a gruff voice.

The barkeep shot Jaime a questioning look. “What’s the deal with ‘im?”

Brienne offered the barkeep an innocent smile. “Oh, he’s with me. So I’ll only need _one_ bed. Make it a big, sturdy one though.” She leaned forward and whispered loudly so that all the curious eavesdroppers could hear her. “He likes this, you see. He’s a pain-lover.”

The barkeep’s eyes widened and he flushed. “Pain-lover? I see.” He coughed into his hand.

All the ruffians in the tavern laughed at Jaime’s expense, and his cheeks burned in embarrassment and humiliation.

“I know just the room you need.” The barkeep grabbed a key and handed it to Brienne. “Here. That will be forty coppers.”

Brienne took out a Silver Stag coin and slapped it down on the counter. “Keep the change. We’ll probably make a lot of noise and we might break the bed. I apologize in advance.”

The barkeep took the silver coin, bit into it, and nodded to himself when he decided that it was real. He gave Brienne a wide smile that revealed he was missing a few teeth. “Make as much noise as you’d like to, Milady.”

Brienne smiled sharply. “Oh, I’m not the one who will be screaming.” She winked.

Brienne headed for the stairs and the men inside the tavern whistled and cheered before raising their tankards and mugs filled with ale in a salute to Brienne.

Brienne chuckled as the sound of their cheers followed her up the stairs. She found their room, unlocked the door, entered, and closed and locked the door behind her. Brienne carried Jaime over to the bed and tossed him down on it. She untied Jaime, and then started to use her sword to cut the long rope into four pieces.

Jaime watched her silently. He was curious what she was up to and so didn’t move from his position laying on his back on the bed.

Brienne looked at his crotch and smiled. “You’re hard, my Lord.” Jaime flushed out of embarrassment. “Maybe my lie is true…and you’re a pain-lover?” She gave Jaime a questioning look. Jaime’s eyes widened and he shook his head at Brienne. Brienne chuckled softly. “Don’t worry. I’d never hurt you.”

Jaime’s shoulders sagged in relief.

Brienne approached the bed and started to remove Jaime’s armor and clothes until he was naked on the bed. Then Brienne tied his wrists to the headboard and his ankles to the footboard.

Jaime watched her intently and didn’t resist. He was her ‘prisoner’ after all.

Brienne walked over to the porcelain pitcher and basin that were sitting on a small wooden table. She was pleased to note the pitcher had already been filled with cold, clean water. Brienne poured water into the basin, wet a small towel, and returned to Jaime’s side. She used the towel to clean the blood off of Jaime’s face. “There. Now you’re handsome again.”

Jaime narrowed his eyes at her as if to say ‘And whose fault was it that my face was all covered in blood’ but Brienne just smiled at him innocently, and started to strip her armor off. Once she started to strip her clothes off she moved more slowly while a captivated Jaime watched.

Jaime gulped as Brienne’s bare breasts were revealed. Brienne’s breasts weren’t very large, but Jaime thought they were quite lovely. Pert and with delectable pink nipples that just begged to be licked and sucked.

Brienne watched Jaime’s Adam’s apple as he swallowed thickly. There was something appealing about that simple gesture that made heat pool between her legs.

When Brienne slipped her pants off and removed her undergarments Jaime’s eyes zeroed in on her sex.

Brienne noticed where Jaime was staring, and slid her hand down her body, traveling towards her sex. “You want this, don’t you? You want to be inside my cunt.” Brienne stroked her sex with her fingers and moaned.

Jaime shuddered and started to struggle against his bonds. He gave Brienne an intense, beseeching look when he realized it was futile. Brienne knew how to tie knots. He really should have guessed that…

“So impatient,” Brienne cooed. “Don’t worry. I’ll give you what you want, King Slayer.” Brienne made her way over to the bed, got on the bed, moved over Jaime, and straddled him.

Brienne sat on his stomach and leaned over so that she could capture Jaime’s lips with her own. Her kiss was forceful, possessive, and dominating. She kissed him until she felt Jaime’s erection rubbing against her ass.

He’d grown even harder and longer while kissing her. Brienne raised her hips, grabbed Jaime’s cock, and guided him to her entrance. She started to impale herself on Jaime’s cock slowly.

Jaime groaned, his eyes rolling into the back of his head out of pleasure as he started to enter her. “Mmm!”

Brienne took her time until Jaime was fully seated inside of her and she was sitting on his lap. She placed her hands on Jaime’s chiseled bare chest to steady herself. Jaime was looking up at her lustfully. Or perhaps, lovingly? Brienne could only hope. She started to move over him, riding his cock with slow, languid strokes.

Jaime groaned, and opened and closed his hand into a fist. His toes curled with pleasure.

Brienne watched Jaime’s reactions to their fucking closely, and she could tell when he was getting close. That’s when Brienne stopped moving.

Jaime opened his eyes and looked at Brienne in confusion. “Nngh?”

Brienne smiled impishly. “Oh, did you want to come? But why should I let you?” Brienne tapped her chin in thought. “I don’t think you deserve to come. After all…you were abandoning me for some other woman.”

Jaime made a strangled noise in the back of his throat.

“What was that? I can’t hear you?” Brienne reached out and removed the gag so that Jaime could speak. The moment he said something stupid she was shoving that gag back inside of his mouth, however.

“Brienne, please…” Jaime moaned.

“Tell me why then, Jaime?” Brienne urged. “I want the truth. Why were you going back to Cersei after everything we’ve been through together?”

Jaime flinched guiltily and sighed. “Because I’m a bloody coward. That’s why.”

Brienne gave him a searching look. “What are you afraid of?” Her brow furrowed in confusion.

“I’m afraid of caring for someone even _more_ than Cersei…” Jaime admitted.

Brienne gave Jaime a skeptical look. “You care for me _more_ than Cersei? You’re just saying that because you want to come.”

Jaime shook his head. “No. You’re wrong. I…love you. And that’s terrifying because with you I know it’s real. Cersei and I…we loved each other, but it was a poisonous love based on lust. Our love is different, Brienne, because it’s based on trust and mutual respect.” Jaime’s expression turned tender as he gazed at Brienne. “I can honestly say that in this moment…I love you _more_ than Cersei.”

Brienne sucked in a surprised gasp and she couldn’t help but blush and smile like a maiden. Brienne covered her face with her hands to hide her pathetic expression from Jaime. She never thought she’d hear him say these words to her. _Jaime…loves me?_

“But Cersei’s betrayal nearly destroyed me,” Jaime admitted in a hollow tone. “I considered killing myself. They say the one who wins in the Game of Love is the one who is loved. I love you…but how much do you love me? How long before you come to your senses and realize you don’t want me because I’m a horrible person? Your rejection would destroy me. That’s why I ran away from you before that could happen. I wanted to at least have the memory of you loving me, and not hating me. You hating me is…inevitable.”

Brienne’s smile slipped off her face and turned into a disappointed frown. “You decided to abandon me because you love me too much? You really are an idiot. Men.” She sighed and shook her head before giving Jaime a stern look. “You’re wrong about me hating you. I’ve seen you at your worse. Give me some credit. I’m not some innocent, doe-eyed maiden. I know who you are, King Slayer. I know you’re not completely good. But you’ve been trying to be better. I’ve seen your internal struggle to change and it’s the fact that you’re trying to change that made me fall in love with you.”

Jaime’s bleak expression turned hopeful and he gave Brienne a surprised look. “Really?” Brienne simply nodded. “You really are too good for me. I wish…I had met you years ago. Before…” He bit his lip to stop himself from mentioning Cersei.

Brienne leaned over, kissed Jaime sweetly, and then ran her hand through his hair. “You shouldn’t regret it. You never would have gotten to know your children.”

“You’re right. I am glad to have known them. Joffery was a monster, but Tomen was good. And Marcella was an angel. Gods, I miss them. And now Cersei…she’s pregnant with my child, Brienne…” Jaime’s voice cracked.

“I know,” Brienne said gently. “But it’s too late for Cersei. She should have surrendered King’s Landing when she had the chance. She signed her own death warrant. She released the dragon when she killed Missandei like that.”

“Cersei is stubborn. She probably thinks she still has a chance at winning…” Jaime mused aloud. “If I know her…she always has an ace up her sleeve.”

“She won’t win. Cersei is going to die…buried beneath the rubble of the Red Keep…” Brienne revealed in a grim tone.

“What?” Jaime snapped at the final note to Brienne’s voice.

“Apparently, Jon Snow had a vision of the future with some help from the Three-eyed Raven,” Brienne started to explain. “He warned me that you would die pointlessly protecting Cersei, and end up buried beneath the rubble of the Red Keep.”

Jaime’s eyes widened when a sudden realization hit him. “That’s why you stopped me from going…”

“I’m glad I did,” Brienne said as she ran her hand through Jaime’s chest hair affectionately. “I never would have known how much you loved me. I always would have doubted what we had together, but now I know that it was real.”

“Jon used the word ‘pointlessly’?” Jaime asked angrily.

“He did.” Brienne nodded.

“If I don’t go to her that means she’ll die like that _alone_. Being there with her so that she’s not alone in her final moments would _not_ be pointless!” Jaime argued adamantly.

Tears started to fill Brienne’s blue eyes when she felt that Jaime was pulling away from her again. “So…you’ll choose Death again? No. Please. Don’t choose Cersei and Death. Choose Life. Choose Me!” she begged desperately.

Hot tears started to drip down on Jaime’s body. Jaime took a deep breath and let it out slowly. _She’ll never hate me, will she? She’s not Cersei. She’s…not hateful like us. She’s…different. I think she really means it when she says she loves me. Imagine that? She went after me in order to save my life even after I broke her heart._ Jaime shut his eyes tightly. _I had many chances to save Cersei from herself but I failed. I let Cersei become a monster. I still love her…I will always love Cersei, but I do love Brienne more._

Jaime opened his eyes, stared into Brienne’s shimmering blue ones and offered her a broken smile. He’d made his decision. “I don’t have a choice, remember? I’m your prisoner. So it looks like I’m staying here with you.”

Brienne made a happy, strangled noise before leaning over and kissing Jaime passionately.

_Don’t give me a choice, Brienne._ Jaime thought to himself as he kissed her back. _Because I’m afraid that if you give me the choice…I’ll make the same mistake and leave you again and choose Cersei._

After she’d finally stopped crying, Brienne started to move over Jaime, and smiled down at him. “Good answer.”

Jaime let out a pleasured groan. “Actually, it wasn’t that hard of a decision to be honest,” he said teasingly. “Stay here with you and have sex, or run off to Cersei, probably get nagged for being late, and then die a slow, painful death. This is much more pleasant. Why did I ever consider leaving you to begin with?”

“Because you’re a fool,” Brienne said seriously.

“Yes. I’m a fool…a fool who loves you,” Jaime said in a thick, husky voice. “I choose life. I choose you. Gods, I’m such a selfish bastard.”

“There’s nothing wrong with being a little selfish every once in a while. Just don’t make it a habit,” Brienne said in a playful tone. The pleasure steadily built between them until Brienne was sent over the edge first. “Jaime!” she cried out as she came against him.

The feeling of Brienne clenching around him sent Jaime over the edge to meet her in carnal ecstasy. He bucked his hips, thrust deep, and came deep inside his lover. “B-Brienne…” He tried not to think about how he might be getting Brienne pregnant. He was already betraying his unborn child by staying here with his new lover. _Goodbye, Cersei. I’m sorry…_

_***_

Back to the present…

Greyworm stood at the front of the Unsullied army with his spear in hand, and a confident expression on his face. Behind the Unsullied were the Dothraki mounted on their horses. In front of them stood the Golden Company. Greyworm had to admit they were an impressive looking force.

Too bad they wouldn’t even get to fight. According to the plan he and Daenerys had come up with, Daenerys would take out Euron’s fleet and his Scorpions first. Then Daenerys was going to sneak up behind the Golden Company, and use a fireball attack to blast the wall. Afterwards, Daenerys was going to have Drogon obliterate the entire Golden Company in seconds with a rain of dragonfire.

Greyworm almost felt sorry for the Golden Company. They were known for their fighting prowess and wouldn’t get to chance to show off their skills. But the Golden Company was standing between him and the Lannister army and Cersei. He had to avenge the woman he loved at all costs, and to do that all the Lannisters needed to die.

I must avenge Missandei. Greyworm thought to himself, his grip on his spear tightening. I will kill all of the Lannisters. I will not let these golden men stand in my way!

A dragon’s roar could be heard in the distance. Greyworm smiled. Daenerys had arrived at King’s Landing. First, she would take out Euron’s fleet, and then-

The sound of a single bell ringing started to echo through the air…

Greyworm frowned. _What the…?_ Was the city already surrendering? But that didn’t make any sense. The battle had only just begun. Greyworm was pretty sure Tyrion had said bells _plural_. So what did that single bell mean, exactly?

The Commander of the Golden Company smiled, flashing white, dazzling teeth. “That’s the Queen’s signal, men!” He unsheathed and raised his sword before pointing it forward. As luck would have it, the Commander had set his sights set on Greyworm. “Attack!” he roared, kicked his horse’s sides, and charged forward bravely.

Greyworm’s frown deepened. _What the fuck?_ Any second now Daenerys would show up behind them and…and…shit. Something must have happened to Daenerys. Did a Scorpion get Drogon? Was his Queen injured?

_I guess we will have no choice but to fight the Golden Company._ Greyworm got into a fighting stance and pointed his spear at the oncoming Commander and his soldiers. “Unsullied…attack!” The Unsullied moved into fighting stances, and then started to charge forward.

This…was going to be difficult. The Golden Company soldiers were mounted on horses and the Unsullied fought with spears. Well, difficult but not _impossible_ …

And the Unsullied had picked up a few tricks while training alongside the Dothraki. Like how to unseat a rider from his horse using the butt-end of your spear. Greyworm used this move as the Commander was almost upon him. He flipped his spear and lunged it up and forward towards the Commander’s chest.

The blunt end of Greyworm’s spear hit the Commander’s armored breastplate and unseated him. The Commander was sent flying back off his horse.

Greyworm glanced to his right and left quickly, and proudly noted that several of his men had followed suit and had used the blunt end of their spears to unseat several soldiers.

The soldiers of the Golden Company weren’t weaklings, however, and quickly pushed themselves up off the ground and started charging forward on foot now with their swords raised before them.

Greyworm spotted the Commander getting to his feet, and started off in his direction. The Commander spotted Greyworm, grinned, and charged towards him, sword raised.

Greyworm and the Commander engaged in battle. The Commander swung his sword at Greyworm and he blocked the attack with his spear. Greyworm sent his spearhead lunging forward towards the Commander.

Greyworm was surprised when the Commander raised his sword and managed to block his lightning-fast attack with the flat of his blade. _Not bad._ Greyworm had a newfound respect for these hired mercenaries.

Greyworm glanced around him. His Unsullied were engaged with the enemy - spears and swords clashing in a deadly dance.

The Dothraki were coming to the aid of the Unsullied now, and targeting those of the Golden Company who’d managed to avoid getting unseated from their horses with their _arakh_ , deadly, scythe-like weapons.

Greyworm frowned as he watched Unsullied and Dothraki being killed by the soldiers dressed in golden armor.

Sure, the soldiers of the Golden Company were being killed too, but…the plan had been to obliterate the Golden Company with dragonfire _not_ fight them.

The playing field was being leveled in Cersei’s favor. This was _not_ good. If this kept up there wouldn’t be enough Unsullied to challenge the Lannister Army, which was Greyworm’s primary objective.

Greyworm made a strategic decision. “Dothraki, clear a path for the Unsullied to the gate. Unsullied, we go to fight the Lannister Army and kill Queen Cersei!”

“ _Kessa!”_ “ _Sek!_ ” “Yes!” the Dothraki and Unsullied shouted their agreement to this new plan.

The Dothraki would end up being slaughtered, but Greyworm considered this to be a necessary sacrifice. Although, his coldhearted thoughts did make him feel a little guilty when he thought about how Daenerys would react to knowing what had become of her Dothraki. Unfortunately, he just needed the Unsullied to get his revenge.

But first, Greyworm had to take care of this pesky Commander. Greyworm was having a hard time getting past the man’s defenses - all attacks so far had been blocked by the Commander’s sword.

Greyworm crouched, swept his spear out, and tripped up the Commander. Before the Commander could regain his bearings Greyworm leapt up into the air and sent the tip of his spear flying into the man’s skull, right between his eyes.

Meanwhile, the Dothraki were riding forward in an arrowhead formation, clearing a path for Greyworm and his Unsullied to the closed gate.

Greyworm raised his bloody spear and pointed it forward. “Unsullied, with me!” He charged forward, running after the Dothraki, who were clearing a bloody path.

The Unsullied dutifully followed after Greyworm, not letting themselves be distracted by the remaining Golden Company soldiers.

Miraculously, the Dothraki managed to clear a path all the way through the Golden Company soldiers to the gate, which they made quick work of with their battering rams.

Finally, Greyworm and his Unsullied were entering the city of King’s Landing.

“ _Anha zalak meme vallayafa year, jin athvashar okrenegwini!_ Have fun storming the castle!” one of the Dothraki called after Greyworm.

“To the Red Keep!” Greyworm ordered his tropps. He knew that the Lannister Army would be positioned somewhere between the Red Keep and the city.

Greyworm looked around for any signs of Daenerys or Drogon. He spotted a tall bell tower that had been destroyed, and was currently enveloped in flames, but…there was no sign of Daenerys or Drogon by that tower.

Had Daenerys destroyed that tower? Why? What the hell had happened? Had she been forced to retreat for some reason?

If Daenerys had gotten injured, perhaps by a Scorpion, then it was up to him to defeat the Lannister Army and to kill Cersei now. He would kill Cersei and present Daenerys with her head!

Greyworm smiled grimly. _Do not worry, My Queen. Torgo Nudho will bring you Cersei’s head! And the heads of all the Lannisters!_

To be continued in…Chapter 3: Lioness Awakens

Author’s Note: After trying my hand at writing Jaime Lannister I now empathize with what D & D probably went through. In my outline Jaime was _easily_ persuaded to stay with Brienne after she defeated him and took him back to the tavern to have her wicked way with him. But, when I started writing the scene Jaime kept wanting to go back to Cersei. He’s a very stubborn character to work with! Basically, the only way to stop Jaime from going back to Cersei is to keep him tied up to a bed! Sorry, Jaime, but I’ve been shipping you and Brienne since you lost your hand for her, so I had to do what I had to do.


	3. Lioness Awakens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon awoke a sleeping lioness when he made the mistake of telling Cersei his vision of the future. Daenerys begins her attack on King's Landing but her plans derail when she realizes Jon is still alive.

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Game of Thrones, or a Song of Ice and Fire.

 

_When you play the Game of Thrones, you either win or you die._

-Cersei Lannister

 

Chapter 3: Lioness Awakens

 

Mounted on Drogon, Daenerys flew over the ocean heading towards King’s Landing. It didn’t take long for Euron Greyjoy’s fleet to come into view. “Drogon, the time has come for you to avenge your brother Rhaegal!”

“Rawr!” Drogon let out an enthusiastic roar in response.

Daenerys and Drogon had been ‘training’ for this moment with the help of her Unsullied’s best spear throwers. Drogon was now used to dodging projectiles in midair - his reflexes honed to a razor’s edge.

Drogon swooped down and started to attack Euron’s fleet. Euron wasted no time in having a giant crossbow, which had been named a ‘Scorpion’, loaded, and taking a shot at the dragon.

Drogon nimbly dodged the giant arrow that came flying towards him, but it had been close and Daenerys had held her breath as it whizzed by them. Drogon swooped down to attack again. Before Euron could execute another shot Drogon sent an enormous fireball Euron’s way.

“Oh shit!” Euron cried out as he dove over the side of his ship like the coward he was.

A smug, triumphant smile curled Daenerys’s lips. Euron was as good as dead. “Burn all the ships, Drogon! All of them! _Dracarys!_ ”

Drogon roared out his approval of this command and started to set fire to Euron’s entire fleet, dodging giant arrows from Scorpions as he went.

Daenerys was so proud of her son Drogon. He was strong, powerful, and fast. “Cersei has underestimated you, my son,” she praised as she patted his scaly head.

Drogon took out Euron’s entire fleet in a matter of minutes, and then Daenerys set her sights on the Scorpions mounted on the outer wall of King’s Landing.

One by one Drogon took out the Scorpions until there were none left. Now Drogon would be safe to go and take out the Golden Company from behind in a sneak attack.

After she’d decimated the Golden Company, Greyworm and her Unsullied, the Dothraki, and the Northern Armies would finish them off before entering the city and making their way to the Red Keep in order to engage and obliterate the Lannister Army.

However, just as Daenerys was about to take off in the direction of the Golden Company, a large tower bell sounded in the distance.

A single bell.

Daenerys frowned. Lord Tyrion had explained that if the bells were rung the city was surrendering to Daenerys. That she’d won…

But what the hell did a single bell ringing mean?

Daenerys’s stomach clenched with unease and she felt nauseous. A foreboding feeling washed over her. And somehow Daenerys just _knew_. _Jon._ She thought in concern.

Cersei was calling her over to that bell tower. Jon was probably there. Dead or still alive…

It was obviously a trap, but…

Cersei had already stolen her son Rhaegal, had killed her best and only female friend Missandei.

I can’t let her take the father of my child too if he’s still alive. I can’t let her win. I can’t let her keep taking the ones I hold dear and care for away from me. Daenerys thought vehemently. If there’s even a small chance of saving him and that he’s still alive I must go to him…

_Besides, I’m a dragon. Fire can’t hurt me if that’s what Cersei has planned. I can save Jon from any kind of explosion. Cersei is underestimating me. I can do it. I can save him!_

“Drogon,” Daenerys leaned over to shout in her dragon’s ear. “To the bell! We must save Jon!”

“Rawr!” Drogon let out a roar of agreement and took off, flying towards the tallest bell tower in King’s Landing.

Drogon circled the tower and flew closer and closer to the bell until Daenerys caught sight of Jon. He was tied to the bell that was rocking back and forth as it rang. He was gagged and restrained by several coils of rope, but he appeared to be alive and unhurt. Daenerys smiled. All too easy. “Drogon! Grab Jon and let’s get out of here!”

Drogon let out a roar before swooping towards the side of the bell Jon was tied to. As Daenerys and Drogon neared the bell she was able to see the expression on Jon’s face. He was shaking his head vigorously at Daenerys with wide, alarmed eyes. He was obviously telling her to stay back - that this was a trap.

“Don’t worry, Jon!” Daenerys shouted at him. “I’m going to save you!”

Drogon stretched out his claws, prepared to grab Jon when the strangest thing happened.

Drogon’s claws couldn’t reach Jon. In the space between the exterior of the bell tower and the bell was a thick sheet of glass.

“Glass…” Daenerys said aloud, frowning. “What the…?” She’d never known a bell tower to have glass windows around it.

Drogon’s claws scraped futilely against the thick sheet of glass that was between him and Jon. That’s when an enormous explosion rocked the entire bell tower with an audible _boom_.

The glass windows shattered and the force of the explosion sent hundreds of glass shards whizzing through the air like daggers in Daenerys’s direction dangerously.

“Drogon! Pull back!” Daenerys cried out.

But it was too late.

Daenerys cried out as glass shards pierced her eyes. Glass shards also hit her body in several places before Drogon put his body between the tower and Daenerys in an effort to shield her from taking any more damage.

Unfortunately, the damage had been done. Daenerys had been blinded.

“No!” Daenerys cried out as she was plunged into darkness. “I can’t see! What’s happening? Jon!”

Daenerys gripped the spikes on Drogon’s back tightly until her knuckles turned white. She listened intently, and heard the sound of the bell tower collapsing. Daenerys could imagine in her mind’s eye what the crumbling stone and flickering green flames looked like. The sound of the bell was getting farther away which meant it was falling down through the air and most likely into a blazing inferno. “No! Jon! Drogon! Grab him! Catch him!”

“Daenerys!” Jon’s voice reached her ears.

“Jon!” she called back.

Drogon tried to grab Jon with his claws, but it was too late. Jon fell down into the blazing fireball that had become the bell tower.

“Did you get him?” Daenerys asked her dragon. The dragon let out a sad whimper in response. _Jon!_ A wave of sadness crashed over Daenerys, but her sadness quickly shifted to anger. _Damn you, Cersei!_ First her son Rhaegal, then Missandei, and now Jon, the father of her child, the man she loved…!

I can’t forgive her for this. Daenerys thought. I won’t forgive her for this. I’ll make Cersei pay for this! I…I’ll burn them all!

“Drogon, it’s time. _Dracarys!_ ” she ordered her dragon.

However, Drogon started to fly off in the opposite direction of the Red Keep…

Daenerys couldn’t see but knew something was wrong. “Drogon? What are you doing? We can’t just leave! We’re in the middle of a battle!”

Daenerys was unable to see that her dragon’s eyes had turned a solid white.

Bran had warged into Drogon to ensure that the people of King’s Landing didn’t meet the same fate as they had in the possible future Jon has seen.

“No!” Daenerys cried out in pain, despair, and anger as she sensed her dragon was leaving the battlefield and taking her back to Dragonstone. “Jon…” Blood and tears streamed down her pale face. “Greyworm, it’s up to you now. Do not fail me.”

***

Cersei watched as the bell tower exploded causing the sheets of glass she’d recently had installed at the very top of the tower to shatter. The force of the explosion sent sparkling shards of glass flying in the Dragon Queen’s direction.

An expression of manic glee settled over Cersei’s face as she watched several shards appear to hit Daenerys before Drogon flew higher to shield her from further injury with his enormous body.

The bell tower started to collapse in on itself, crumbling down, and the huge bell Jon was tied to fell down through the air lastly.

Cersei watched with baited breath as the dragon tried to grab Jon from the bell in midair, and just barely missed until the bell sank into a ball of green fire and Jon disappeared from sight.

Cersei released a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. _Stubborn dragon bitch._ She’d almost actually managed to save Jon.

Cersei raised her goblet of wine in a toast. “One should not wake sleeping lions. That was your mistake Jon Snow. And, I did you a favor Dragon Bitch. You’d be thanking me if you knew the truth about how Jon stabbed you in the heart! Maybe there was no reason for me to send that raven to Meereen after all.” Cersei started to cackle evilly.

“Your Grace…” came a familiar male voice.

Cersei turned to see Maester Qyburn approaching her and she smiled. Cersei’s blue eyes were glowing with an unholy light. “Maester Qyburn…where have you been? You missed seeing your genius in action. The trap worked perfectly - just as you thought it would. The Dragon Bitch is greatly injured and hopefully dead. And Jon…well…we both knew he couldn’t survive getting blown up. Pour yourself a goblet of wine. We must celebrate together.”

Qyburn looked at the burning bell tower and frowned. “Just another reason to want you dead…” he muttered darkly to himself.

“What was that?” Cersei snapped.

Qyburn turned his attention to Cersei. “I’d celebrate with you, I’m sure, if I _were_ Maester Qyburn. But I’m _not_ him. Unfortunately, Maester Qyburn is dead. I killed him.” Arya grabbed the side of her face and pulled off Qyburn’s face.

Cersei lost her grip on the goblet she was holding, and it fell to the floor and shattered. “Arya Stark…”

Arya offered Cersei a grim smile. “That’s right.” Arya unsheathed Needle from her belt and pointed it at Cersei. “I’ve been waiting a long time for this. I’ll finally avenge my father…” There was a fierce, determined expression on Arya’s face.

Cersei’s mouth was opening and closing like a fish out of water. “B-But Jon said you decided to put aside your revenge. You’re not supposed to be here…”

A cunning gleam shone in Arya’s eyes. “You’re talking about the vision of the future that Jon had, aren’t you? I was there in the godswood when Jon’s eyes turned white, and he suddenly collapsed. His body started to shake like he was having a seizure. You see, my brother Bran supposedly ended up as King Bran the Broken in that possible future. Future Bran decided to warg into Jon while visiting the past at the same time in his mind.

“This formed a connection between Past Jon and Future Jon. And when Jon touched the weirwood tree at the same time he ended up seeing the future. As Jon told Bran all about this vision of the future I was hiding behind the weirwood tree and listening. You can imagine my surprise and disappointment when I found out that I went all the way to King’s landing to kill you, but then at the last minute had a change of heart and decided to turn back. It doesn’t really sound like me, and it makes no sense. My goal of killing you and avenging my father is what’s kept me moving forward through hell. I’ve _lived_ for this moment. Die, Cersei!” Arya attacked.

“Ser Gregor!” Cersei shrieked fearfully.

An enormous sword blocked Arya’s initial strike, and Arya’s sword bent nearly in two. Arya looked down in horror at her bent sword. “Needle!”

Cersei’s frightened expression turned smug. “Did you forget all about Ser Gregor?”

Arya tossed her useless sword aside, unsheathed her Valyrian steel dagger instead, and got into a fighting stance. “No. Someone’s late…” she complained with a frown.

A cunning glint shone in Cersei’s blue eyes. “Ah, you mean The Hound? The Lannister Army has specific instructions to keep an eye out for him _this time_. I doubt he’ll even make it here. And even if he does Ser Gregor will kill him. It has been foreseen anyways…” Cersei waved her hand through the air in a dismissive gesture.

“Shit…” Arya swore.

“Kill her, Ser Gregor!” Cersei spat.

Ser Gregor stalked towards Arya and swung his sword at her. Arya dodged the attack.

Ser Gregor let out a sound of frustration and swung his sword at Arya again and again. Arya gracefully sidestepped, dodged, and ducked his sword swings. She was faster than Ser Gregor, but she was tiring and Ser Gregor was already ‘dead’. The ‘dead’ didn’t get tired. And how does one kill a dead person that wasn’t exactly a wight, anyways? Arya wondered in despair.

Something had to be keeping Ser Gregor ‘alive’. His heart…? Arya would never have the strength to pierce his breastplate. His brain…? Arya stared into Ser Gregor’s demonic red eyes, and decided it was worth a shot.

Arya danced around Ser Gregor and waited for just the right opportunity to strike. Ser Gregor swung his sword in an overhead downwards slash.

The instant the tip of Ser Gregor’s sword touched the stone floor, Arya moved into action. She leapt up onto the sword’s blade and ran up the blade as if it were the gangplank leading to the deck of a ship. When she was close enough to Ser Gregor’s head she lunged her dagger into Ser Gregor’s eye. _I got him!_ Arya crowed inwardly.

However, Ser Gregor removed one of his hands from the hilt of his sword, wrapped it around Arya’s head, and pushed back until he was slamming Arya hard into the stone floor.

When the back of Arya’s head hit the stone floor she saw stars. Ser Gregor reached up, grabbed the hilt of the Valyrian steel dagger, pulled it slowly out of his eye socket, and tossed it aside.

“Finish her, Ser Gregor! She’s too dangerous to leave alive!” Cersei shouted in an imperious tone.

Ser Gregor grabbed his sword, and walked over to the dazed Arya. Ser Gregor raised his sword and brought it down upon Arya, prepared to finish her off. At that moment-

The sound of steel clashing against steel was music to Arya’s ears.

The Hound, otherwise known as Sandor Clegane, had finally appeared! He’d blocked Ser Gregor’s attack with his sword.

“You’re late,” Arya wheezed. “What took you so bloody long?”

The Hound was covered in blood and small battle wounds. The blood probably belonged to the Lannister soldiers who’d been stupid enough to stand in his way.

“How the hell did you get to King’s Landing before me, girl?” The Hound growled. “I rode my horse so hard it died and I had to steal another.”

Arya gave The Hound a weak smile. “I hitched a ride on the back of a dragon.”

The Hound gave Arya a proud, disbelieving look. “You’re as crazy as ever, girl. But what else is new?”

Ser Gregor’s red eyes narrowed at the sudden appearance of his brother, and he growled low in his throat. He didn’t like being ignored.

Clegane returned his attention to Ser Gregor. “Hello big brother.” Then without taking his eyes off his brother he said to Arya: “I’ll handle him. Do what you need to do.”

Arya pushed herself up off the floor, glanced at her fallen dagger that was a few yards away, and nodded. “Right.” Arya took off running towards the dagger.

The Hound and Ser Gregor engaged in battle - their swords clashing. Clegane was faster and got several good hits in on his brother and even managed to knock his helmet off. Clegane cringed as he saw that his brother had become even more hideous. “Yeah, that’s you…that’s what you’ve always been.”

Ser Gregor snarled in anger and attacked Clegane more fiercely than before. The Hound managed to sneak his sword past Ser Gregor’s defenses, however, and stabbed him through the gut. Unfortunately, Ser Gregor just stared down at Clegane emotionlessly and didn’t appear to be too affected by the wound. The Hound’s eyes widened in a mixture of shock and disbelief as he slid his sword even deeper into his brother. “What the fuck…?” Clegan decided to swiftly pull his sword out of Ser Gregor and jumped backwards to put some space between them while he contemplated his next move.

While Arya was busy fetching her dagger, and Ser Gregor and Clegane were engaged, Cersei made her way over to one of the torches on the wall and removed it from its sconce. Cersei threw the torch at Ser Gregor. “Ser Gregor, do it now!”

Ser Gregor sliced the flaming torch in two, and suddenly his sword became alight in green flames.

“Wildfire…” Arya murmured. She’d gotten a hold of her dagger. She could go and slit Cersei’s throat, but…she glanced between The Hound and Cersei. The Hound’s confident expression had turned fearful at the sight of those green flames.

Ser Gregor smiled evilly as he raised his flaming sword and attacked Clegane with it. The Hound went on the defensive, and was being pushed back.

The Hound had protected her sister’s honor. Had saved her. Arya owed him one. _Shit._

Arya snuck up behind Ser Gregor and leapt up onto his back before plunging her dagger into the base of his neck. “I got him!”

But Ser Gregor just continued to walk forward towards The Hound. Arya frowned. “Why won’t this fucker die!” she complained as she stabbed the back of Ser Gregor’s neck again and again.

Ser Gregor finally seemed to notice what Arya was doing, and removed one hand from his flaming sword’s hilt to wrap his enormous hand around Arya’s head.

Ser Gregor pulled Arya down off his back, and she resembled a rag doll as she dangled from his hand. Then Ser Gregor began to clench his hand into a fist, intending to crush Arya’s skull with his bare hand.

Arya screamed.

It was Arya’s scream that seemed to snap The Hound out of his stupor. He scowled. “Girl!” The Hound lunged forward and swung his sword down using all his strength. Clegane managed to cut Ser Gregor’s arm off, and Arya fell to the floor, moaning in pain.

Ser Gregor let out a roar of outrage as black blood gushed out of his arm. He removed his breastplate in order to have more freedom of movement, and charged towards Clegane with his flaming sword again.

The Hound raised his sword to block the incoming sword blow, but he needn’t have bothered.

“Ah!” Arya leapt up, and then came down through the air, cutting Ser Gregor’s other arm off.

The Hound swung his sword at Ser Gregor’s head, intending to finish him off. “Die you ugly fucker!”

Ser Gregor glared, narrowed his eyes furiously at Clegane, and opened his mouth. Ser Gregor chomped down on The Hound’s sword’s blade, and stopped it.

Clegane’s eyes widened. “Holy shit! No fucking way…”

Ser Gregor bit down hard on the sword’s blade and it shattered.

A shudder went through Arya’s body as she watched this with a look of disbelief on her face. That thing wasn’t Ser Gregor any longer…it was a monster. “Just cut off his head!”

With the remaining part of his sword, Clegane swung his sword at Ser Gregor’s neck.

“No!” Cersei shouted.

The Hound decapitated Ser Gregor, and his head toppled off his shoulders, hit the ground, and rolled until it came to a stop at Cersei’s feet. Cersei let out a squeak and backed up a few steps as a puddle of black blood tried to get her silk shoes dirty. Ser Gregor’s body collapsed to the ground like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

The Hound nudged Ser Gregor’s unmoving body with the toe of his boot. “Hey, you finally dead…?”

Arya was smiling. “Oh, he’s dead. _Very_ dead.” Arya turned her attention to Cersei, her expression grim. She approached Cersei with predatory steps.

Livid by this turn of events, Cersei reached into her cleavage, pulled out a vial, and uncorked it. “I won’t give you the satisfaction of killing me, Arya Stark. I am in control of my own destiny! But know this…even though I may die here this is far from over! I’ll still win the Game of Thrones…even if it’s from beyond the grave!”

“No!” Arya threw her dagger at Cersei. The Valyrian steel dagger flew through the air end over end, and hit Cersei’s chest right in her heart just as Cersei drank the poison. _Goodbye, Jaime…_

Cersei’s body crumpled to the floor and remained unmoving.

Arya frowned. “Shit. Do you think I got her first…or the poison?” she shot Clegane a questioning look.

Clegane chuckled darkly. “Who the fuck cares? The bitch is dead. Now, what do we do?”

Arya stalked over to Cersei, crouched by her side, removed the dagger from Cersei’s chest, and started to remove Cersei’s face. “Now we make Queen Cersei surrender King’s Landing by having them ring the bells and end this battle.”

A horrified expression settled over Clegane’s face as he watched what Arya was doing. “W-What are you doing, girl? Have you gone mad?”

Arya smirked. “You’ll see…”

It didn’t take long for Arya to remove Cersei’s face with magic, and then put it over her own.

Clegane’s jaw dropped as he watched Arya turn into Cersei Lannister. “Holy shit…”

Arya grew impatient as Clegane just stood there and kept staring at her. “Turn around. I need to change into Cersei’s clothes or this is never going to work…”

Clegane flushed and quickly turned around to give Arya her privacy. “I’ve always thought you were scary. But I’ve been wrong. You’re _terrifying_.”

Arya laughed lowly and began to take her clothes off. “What do you think Cersei meant by ‘this is far from over’?”

Clegane scrubbed a hand down his face. “She was always a schemer. She’s probably put certain things into motion to occur in the event of her death…but I have no idea what they could be. I’m not a strategist, just a fighter.”

Arya dressed in Cersei’s clothes and dressed Cersei’s corpse in her own. Cersei’s dress was a little long, and loose in the chest area, which made Arya frown, but whatever…

“You can turn around now,” Arya said.

Clegane turned around to gawk at…Cersei. No, Arya.

Arya smiled widely at the stunned expression on The Hound’s face. “How do I look? Sexy? Do you want to fuck me?” She ran her hands over her curves enticingly.

Clegane’s expression turned appalled and he shuddered out of unease. He saw Arya as a daughter…even if he’d never tell her that. He figured it’d probably get him a knife in his gut. “Don’t talk like that. It’s disturbing.”

Arya sighed. “You’re no fun. I was only joking. I know you have a thing for Sansa…”

Clegane flushed. “How did you-?” He bit his lower lip to shut himself up before he could reveal any more.

Arya shrugged. “I think it’s pretty obvious. My sister can be dense though so I doubt she’s figured it out yet. Now…it’s time to ring the bells!”

***

Jon could feel the heat of the flames all around him. But strangely enough the flames weren’t melting the flesh off his bones. _What the fuck?_ Jon didn’t want to risk opening his eyes though. That would be stupid.

Instead, Jon slowly and tentatively walked forward, putting one foot in front of the other, and just concentrating on walking forward and away from the heat of the fire.

The rope that had kept him tied to that bell had disappeared. So had the gag. His clothes felt strangely absent too and this was worrisome.

Jon stumbled over pieces of stone debris from the collapsed bell tower, and finally placed his feet on flat solid ground. The heat of the flames was no longer surrounding him, and so Jon risked opening his eyes. The sight that met Jon was an unexpected one.

To Jon’s right were the Unsullied and the Northern Army. To Jon’s left was the Lannister Army. Both sides appeared to be facing off and waiting for someone to make the first move.

“Ring the bells!” “Ring the bells! Help us!” “Tell the queen to ring the bells!” “Ring the bloody bells!” people began to shout throughout the city.

Everyone appeared to be holding their breath to see if Cersei would ring the bells and surrender the city.

Then, the bells started to ring, one by one.

Jon let out a breath of relief. Cersei had decided to surrender _again_. _Thank the gods…_

_With Daenerys absent there’s no reason for the Unsullied or Northmen to continue fighting._ Jon thought to himself. However, when Jon glanced to his side he noted the disappointed, furious, and bloodthirsty expression Greyworm’s face. _He wouldn’t dare…!_ Jon thought.

‘Last time’ Greyworm had waited for Daenerys’s signal, and only once she’d started to attack King’s Landing on Drogon had he moved to engage the Lannister Army.

Daenerys wasn’t there _this time_.

Greyworm had no choice but to accept the city’s surrender, make his men stand down, and spare the Lannister Army _this time_.

Unfortunately, Jon underestimated Greyworm’s thirst for revenge. All Greyworm cared about at this point was avenging the love of his life - Missandei.

Greyworm raised his spear: “Unsullied! Kill all the Lannisters!”

Jon shot Greyworm a horrified look. “No!” He shouted loudly into a lull of silence. All eyes were suddenly on Jon, who hadn’t realized he was still surrounded by green flames and wasn’t burning.

Everyone looked at Jon in shock, not really knowing how to react to such an unusual sight of a man standing in the middle of green flames and appearing to be unharmed.

The Unsullied appeared confused and started to murmur amongst themselves in High Valyrian. “Unburnt…” “He’s unburnt…”

Then the soldiers of the Northern Armies began to speak amongst themselves next. “So it’s true then…Jon Snow is really Aegon Targaryen!” “The son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen!” “Married in a secret ceremony… “He’s the true heir to the Iron Throne.” “The Lady of Winterfell was right!” “Aegon Targaryen! Aegon Targaryen! Aegon Targaryen!” The Northmen began to chant.

Jon scrubbed a hand down his face when he caught someone mention ‘the lady of Winterfell’. _Ugh. Sansa._ She’d been busy spreading rumors apparently. Well, it wasn’t really a _rumor_ since it was unfortunately _true_. Jon let out a heavy sigh.

Jon risked looking down at himself and groaned in despair. Yep. He was bucknaked. All these people had seen his cock. _Great, just great._

Jon opened his mouth to deny his claim to the throne, but realized that if he did that…this mindless, pointless fighting would continue. He only had the power to stop people from fighting if he played along for now. _Shit._ Dany was going to _kill_ him for this…

“It’s true. I am Aegon Targaryen…” Jon spoke up loudly and everyone immediately went silent to hear what he had to say. “King’s Landing has surrendered. The battle is over. Stand down! I want you all to stand down, and lower your weapons.”

Jon held his breath and awaited their response. The Northmen all lowered their weapons and surprisingly so did the Lannisters. The Unsullied, however, looked to Greyworm.

And Greyworm was looking at Jon with a livid expression on his face. “You have betrayed our Queen, Jon Snow! I knew you could not be trusted. Unsullied! Our Queen is Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen. Rightful heir to the Iron Throne. Rightful Queen of the Andals and the First Men. Protector of the Seven Kingdoms. The Mother of Dragons. The Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea. The Breaker of Chains! Don’t forget who gave you your freedom and returned your dignity! Who freed you from your chains? Queen Daenerys!”

“Hail, Queen Daenerys!” The Unsullied shouted back in High Valyrian.

Greyworm smiled grimly. “Kill the Lannisters…I will go to kill Queen Cersei!”

“Yes, Torgo Nudho!” the Unsullied cried.

“Dammit, Greyworm,” Jon swore and turned his attention to the Northern Armies that were waiting for his orders. Northmen, join forces with the Lannisters, and…” Jon paused, and took a deep breath before continuing. “Kill all the Unsullied for their treason!”

“Aye, Aegon Targaryen!” The Northmen and Lannister soldiers yelled out.

Jon winced at the name.

Chaos ensued.

The Unsullied started attacking the Lannister troops, and the Northmen started attacking the Unsullied. Greyworm was cutting a path through the Lannister army impressively, and painstakingly making his way to the Red Keep. He was getting farther and farther away.

_Shit._ Jon had to stop him…

If Cersei had truly surrendered then he had to keep his promise to her that she and her unborn child would be safe. But he couldn’t go after Greyworm naked…

Jon called out to a few Northmen he recognized and made them find him some clothes and a decent sword. He wondered sadly what had become of Longclaw.

Ser Davos appeared at his side with a bundle of clothes and a sword. “Thank you, Ser Davos,” Jon said gruffly. He dressed as quickly as he could, strapped the borrowed sword to his side, and spoke to a group of ten Northmen, who were standing by and awaiting his orders. “I need to get to the Red Keep and stop Greyworm from assassinating Cersei. I promised Cersei my protection if she surrendered the city.”

“Aye. We’ll help you cut a path through the Unsullied, King Aegon,” Davos said with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. He knew that the title would bother Jon, but it had to be used in the present company. Jon cringed at the moniker, but didn’t correct him.

Jon and a small squad of Northmen fought their way towards the Red Keep, killing any Unsullied who stood in their way. Finally, only Lannister soldiers stood between Jon and the Red Keep.

Jon raised his voice and spoke loudly to the soldiers: “Lannisters! I promised Queen Cersei I would protect her if she surrendered the city. An Unsullied assassin has gotten past you already and intends to kill her. Please, let me pass. I need to stop him and save Cersei! I make this request in the name of Aegon Targaryen!”

“Step aside, men!” a Lannister commander shouted. “Let King Aegon pass!”

“Aye!” the Lannister soldiers shouted back before stepping aside, and suddenly Jon had a clear path to the Red Keep. Jon took off running up the walkway and to the Red Keep. His gut feeling had him heading for the throne room once he’d made it inside the castle.

Jon pushed the double doors open and entered the throne room. An odd sight met him.

Cersei was calmly seated on the throne with Longclaw resting across her lap. The Hound was standing next to the throne, but wasn’t trying to kill her. _Strange…_

And Greyworm was there pointing his spear threateningly at Cersei, fires blazing in his soulful, dark brown eyes.

The Hound had a hand on the hilt of his sword, and was eyeing Greyworm with menacing intent.

“Greyworm!” Jon called out. “Stand down! I made a deal with Cersei that if she surrendered King’s Landing I would ensure her safety and that of her unborn child.”

Cersei’s lips twitched into an amused smile, and she brought a hand up to her forehead and pretended to swoon. “Oh, the noble knight has arrived to rescue the damsel in distress. My hero. No wonder all the girls fall for you, Jon Snow.”

Greyworm turned to face Jon. “Jon Snow, stay out of this. I need to kill Cersei and give her head to Queen Daenerys and avenge Missandei!” Greyworm explained in a rough voice.

Jon gave the Commander of the Unsullied a compassionate look. “You must have loved Missandei a great deal to go through all this for her, but…she’d dead. And the war is over, Greyworm. Daenerys has won.”

Greyworm’s eyes flashed in anger. “Daenerys? Not Aegon Targaryen?” He gave Jon a pointed look.

Jon flinched guiltily. “You left me with no choice back there but to use my origins to get the Northmen and Lannisters behind me, Greyworm. That’s on you. I never wanted the throne! Dany knows that…”

“She’ll never forgive you for confirming the truth of your origins…” Greyworm said, shaking his head pityingly at Jon. “You stole the Iron Throne away from her by doing that.”

“I don’t want it,” Jon said with a haggard expression on his face. “I’ll talk to Dany, and we’ll come to some agreement. I’ll fix this.”

“If you don’t want the throne, can I keep it?” Cersei asked in a singsong voice. “It’s a lot more comfortable than it looks.” She patted the throne’s seat appraisingly.

Jon shot Cersei a perplexed look. She was acting so strangely. “Cersei?”

Cersei’s blue eyes were twinkling with amusement. “Oh, come on, Jon. The solution is obvious and simple…all you need to do is marry Daenerys. Then you both get the throne. I know you love her.”

Jon flushed at Cersei’s bluntness. “If Daenerys will have me, I’ll marry her.”

Greyworm was so angry at this suggestion that his body started to tremble slightly. “Daenerys will _never_ marry you! You cannot be trusted! I will kill you, to protect my Queen!” Greyworm charged forward, spear raised before him.

Jon unsheathed his borrowed sword and raised it before him in a two-handed grip. As soon as Greyworm was close enough he lunged his spear at Jon. Jon blocked the attack with his sword.

Greyworm followed up with a series of lightning fast jabs. Jon was barely able to block these attacks. _He’s fast. Shit._ Jon swung his sword at Greyworm, but Greyworm blocked the attack easily with his spear.

It was next to impossible to get past Greyworm’s defenses. The spear had a long reach keeping Jon at a distance. How could he get close enough to strike a blow on Greyworm? He needed to do something about that spear, but what?

Cersei stood up and abruptly tossed Longclaw towards Jon. “Jon, catch!”

Jon caught the sword by its hilt with his right hand. Now he had one sword in each hand. It had been a while since he’d fought with dual swords. He was probably a little rusty. _Oh well, here goes nothing._ “Ah!” Jon let out a battle cry as he charged Greyworm, and attacked with his two swords, spinning like a deadly top.

Greyworm was quick to block the attacks that seemed to come one right after the other, until Greyworm made a fatal mistake.

Greyworm raised the spear high over his head, and brought it down in an overhead downwards slash. Jon’s battle reflexes kicked in, and he crossed his swords, catching the pole of the spear, and then like a pair of scissors Jon used the swords to cut Greyworm’s spear in half. _Gotta love Valyrian steel._ Jon crowed inwardly.

Greyworm gawked down at his trusty spear in shock. He’d fought hundreds of battles with that spear and it had never once failed him until now. Jon took advantage of Greyworm’s distracted state to step forward past his defenses and headbutt him. A stunned Greyworm stumbled back and let go of what was left of his spear.

Next Jon put the swords to Greyworm’s throat, crossing the blades so that they were in a position where they were just waiting to cut Greyworm’s head off like a pair of pruning sheers cutting the head off a flower.

“Do it, Jon!” Cersei called out. “Kill him! If you let him live…the Unsullied will always be a threat to you. They follow _him_! Cut the head off the snake and we can finally have peace!”

Jon hesitated. _Snake?_ Greyworm wasn’t a snake. This was Greyworm. Daenerys’s most loyal commander. If he killed Greyworm she’d never forgive him…

“Do it,” Greyworm said gruffly as he met Jon’s tortured stare without fear. “Kill me. I go to a better place. I go to see Missandei.”

Jon’s blue eyes filled with tears. “You were right about me,” he murmured softly, causing Greyworm’s eyes to widen. “I couldn’t be trusted. But I promise you…I will never let anything happen to Daenerys. I love her, as you do.”

Greyworm eyed Jon suspiciously, but nodded. “You may have love here in Westeros, but she only has fear. And now she has shown her enemies weakness. Protect her with your life, Jon Snow.”

Jon let Greyworm’s ominous words sink in. “I will. You have my word,” he promised with a fierce look on his face. Jon was about to kill Greyworm, when-

A sword emerged from the front of Greyworm’s chest from behind.

Jon gaped to see that Clegane had snuck up behind Greyworm, and had stabbed him in the back.

“Hound!” Jon growled, incensed.

Clegane lifted his shoulders in a careless shrug. “You were taking too long. That fucker needed to die…and if you killed him Daenerys would never forgive you. That’s what you were thinking, right? You two need to get along for the sake of the Seven Kingdoms.”

Cersei was clapping and smiling. “Well done, Clegane, my pet.”

Clegane winced at the word ‘pet’ and a shudder traveled through his body. “Don’t call me that. Ever.”

Greyworm sunk to his knees, and the light slowly left his eyes as his lifeblood poured out of him. He stared unseeing into the distance. “Missandei, my love, it’s so green here on the isle of Naath. The water is slow blue. We’ll be happy here, just the two of us…”

Jon looked down at Greyworm with sadness swimming in his blue eyes. “He deserved a more honorable death than to be stabbed in the back. He was a great warrior. I respected and admired him. He was a better fighter than I was. I don’t know how I won…”

Cersei approached Jon, and when she was standing only a foot away from him, reached out and stroked his cheek. “You were destined to win, my brave hero.”

Clegane shot Cersei an appalled look. “Gods, that’s disgusting. Hurry up and take your face off before he kisses you or something, and I have to rinse my eyes out with soap!”

“Take your face off?” Jon said, looking bewildered.

Arya reached up and pulled Cersei’s face off to reveal her own face. She smirked devilishly at Jon. “Hey, Jon.”

Jon staggered backwards in shock. “Arya! How? Why…? What happened to Cersei?”

Arya’s expression turned grim and solemn. “I…killed her. Like I said I would.”

Jon scrubbed a hand down his face and eyed Arya disappointedly. “You…killed her? Arya, she was pregnant.”

Arya bristled with irritation. Jon could be way too soft for his own good sometimes. It’s why he ended up being killed that first time. “Jon, Cersei was pure evil. Joffrey was evil. Her child probably would have been evil too…”

Jon shook his head. “You can’t know that.”

“Jon, she blew you up!” Arya slashed a hand angrily through the air. “How can you forgive her for that?”

Jon shrugged. “This is war. She was just trying to do her best to win the Game of Thrones. I respected her for never giving up. And she came pretty damn close to winning. I underestimated her. But at least her trap didn’t work. She didn’t get Daenerys in that explosion.”

Arya frowned. “Jon…but she did. The explosion caused the glass windows next to the bell to shatter. The force from the explosion sent shards of glass Daenerys’s way. She _was_ injured. I think that’s why Drogon flew away with her, and left the field of battle.”

Jon shook his head. “That was Bran. It was all part of our plan to prevent as much loss of life here in King’s Landing as possible in the event that I failed to kill Cersei. Daenerys, I hope she’s alright. Bran would have taken her back to Dragonstone. I must go to her. I can’t leave her alone.” Jon turned and started to stalk out of the throne room.

“Wait! What should I do now?” Arya called after her brother.

Jon glanced over his shoulder at his little sister. “You’ll need to keep playing Cersei for now. Just do a better job and stop flirting with everyone.”

“What if Jaime shows up!” Arya said worriedly.

“If Jaime isn’t already here then it means he’s with Brienne.” A smug smile formed on Jon’s face. “Thanks to me.”

Arya’s eyes flared in surprise. “I never would have thought you of all people had it in you to play matchmaker.”

“Me neither. Tell the Lords of Westeros…we’ve called a truce and you plan to relinquish the throne to Daenerys Targaryen and…” Jon swallowed thickly. “Aegon Targaryen. Tell them we plan to be married, and that the conflict over the Iron Throne is over. Tell them…the war is over.”

Arya nodded, looking pleased. “So…you’re going to marry Daenerys? I wonder how she’ll take the news.”

Jon paled. “Well, let’s just hope she doesn’t kill me when she finds out what happened to her Dothraki and Unsullied.”

“Bring a gift,” Clegane said gruffly. Jon and Arya shot Clegane a bewildered look. Clegane shrugged. “What? Women like gifts.”

Arya raised a skeptical eyebrow at The Hound. “Since when do _you_ know what women want?”

“Hey!” Clegane groused.

Jon glanced at the Iron Throne in a thoughtful manner. “You know what, Clegane, that’s not a bad idea.” A cunning glint shone in Jon’s blue eyes.

To be continued in…Chapter 4: Iron Throne

Author’s Note: I didn’t realize there would be a waiting list to join ArchiveOfOurOwn so while I was waiting I ended up writing 3 chapters for this story, which I have decided to post all at once instead of weekly. Is anyone reading this? If so, comment below with an ‘I’m reading it!’ If enough people are reading this, and it’s not just for my own peace of mind, I’d be happy to make the story a little longer than I initially planned. I think that Daenerys, Jon, Arya, Gendry, Sansa and Clegane still have plenty to say before they get their happy endings. You can stalk me at my facebook page for info on updates for this story and my books: facebook.com/authorkurokonekokamen OR Twitter @KurokonekoKamen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	4. Claimed Throne

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon brings Daenerys an unexpected gift...and she rewards him.

Disclaimer: I do not own Game of Thrones, or a Song of Ice and Fire.

 

Chapter 4: Claimed Throne

 

As soon as Drogon arrived at Dragonstone the Red Priestess Kinvara along with a group of castle attendants immediately went to Dany’s aid. They carried her into the castle and Kinvara saw to Daenerys’s wounds. Luckily, the wounds on her body that had been caused by the glass shards weren’t deep enough to need stitches, and Kinvara had only needed to clean and bandage them.

Unfortunately, after Kinvara had instructed Daenerys to rinse her eyes out with water in order to inspect the damage more clearly she’d come to the conclusion that Daenerys was now blind.

A few days later after the siege at King’s Landing Daenerys was still trying to come to terms with her blindness. Daenerys was currently seated in a chair by the fire in the war council room of Dragonstone while Kinvara was changing the white cloth bandage wrapped around her head over her eyes.

Daenerys gripped the arms of the chair until her knuckles turned white. “Will you be able to cure my blindness with your magic?”

Kinvara frowned and shook her head even though she knew Daenerys’s could not see these gestures. “No. I’m afraid my magic isn’t powerful enough.”

“So then I just need more powerful magic?” Daenerys’s questioned in a cold tone.

Kinvara blinked in surprise and nodded. “Yes.”

“What _is_ more powerful magic then?” Daenerys prodded in an impatient tone.

Kinvara sighed and thought about it. “Well…there is the source of all magic in our world. The very first weirwood tree…said to have been used in a ritual by the Children of the Forest to create the Night King. The Mother Tree is said to have mystical healing powers. It may have the power to cure your blindness.”

“And where can I find this tree?” Daenerys asked imperiously.

Kinvara put her hands out before her in a helpless gesture. “No one but the Children of the Forest know its location. I doubt they would tell you. It is their sacred duty to protect the tree at all costs.”

Daenerys’s shoulders sagged in disappointment. “I see…” She placed a hand over her stomach. “And my child? Is he alright?”

Kinvara smiled. “Oh, yes, the little prince is strong, and magical. He can protect himself. To be honest, he was never in any real danger. Your pregnancy isn’t like a normal woman’s pregnancy. Targaryen children have been known to be able to produce a magical shield to protect themselves within their mother’s womb when they had to go into battle on their dragons.”

Daenerys’s eye twitched in irritation. “Then why did you try to stop me from going to King’s Landing using my pregnancy as a reason not to go?”

A guilty expression fell over Kinvara’s face, and she wrung her hands together. “I thought it was the only way I could stop you. I saw Death and Doom in the flames and only wanted to shield you from that…”

“Death and Doom?” Daenerys shook her head. “What befell me was…darkness.”

“When people are plunged into the darkness they tend to seek out the light no matter how small that light might be…” Kinvara said sagely. “This might be a good lesson for you.”

“Seek out the light?” Daenerys murmured to herself sadly.

A secretive smile curled Kinvara’s lips. “Jon Snow has arrived at Dragonstone, and wishes to speak with you.”

“Escort him here,” Daenerys instructed bluntly.

“Yes, My Queen.” Kinvara left Daenerys sitting by the fire.

Daenerys reached out her hands in front of her in the direction she knew a small round wooden table to be. Her fingers touched the table and she ran her hands along its surface until she felt the bag of dried and candied fruit Jon Snow had given her.

Daenerys opened the bag, reached inside, pulled out a piece of fruit, plopped it into her mouth, and chewed. Dried apricot. Another piece. Candied pineapple. Another piece. A raisin. “Mmm.” It was almost _fun_ , not knowing what kind of fruit she’d get next.

There was a knock on the door to the war council room and Daenerys called out: “Enter.” Sitting stiffly in her chair, she listened to the sound of approaching footsteps.

“Dany…I…” Jon began but then paused. “Why are there bandages wrapped around your eyes like that? What happened?” Jon rushed to Daenerys’s side, crouched next to her chair, reached out, and grabbed one of her hands. Daenerys startled at the sudden physical contact. Jon immediately let go of her hand and apologized. “Sorry.”

Daenerys blindly reached out for Jon’s retreating hand. “No…don’t let go. You just surprised me. That’s all.”

Jon smiled, took her hand in his again, and stroked the back of her hand with his thumb affectionately.

“Cersei’s trap got me,” Daenerys began to explain. “She installed glass windows around the bell tower. When Drogon and I tried to rescue you and the tower exploded the glass shards…they...blinded me.”

Jon sucked in a breath. “Is there no cure? I mean, Kinvara-”

Daenerys smiled thinly. “I had the same thought. But Kinvara said her magic isn’t powerful enough. The only magic powerful enough to cure my blindness might be the source of _all_ magic. The very first weirwood tree. The Mother Tree.”

Jon frowned. “Mother Tree? Where is it located?” A determined expression was settling over Jon’s face.

Daenerys chuckled softly. “I asked that too, but its location is unknown. Only the Children of the Forest know where it is…and they would never tell us.”

Jon squeezed her hand in a reassuring gesture. “Don’t worry. I’m sure we’ll discover its location somehow. There must be a book…or something that talks about the weirwood trees and their origin. I’ll have to ask Sam. He’ll know.”

Daenerys cringed. “Samwell Tarley? Do you think he’d be willing to help me after what I did to his father and brother…?”

Jon’s smile turned sad. “Sam has a big heart. He’ll forgive you.”

“Hm.” Daenerys popped another piece of fruit into her mouth, chewed it, and swallowed. _Yum._ Another piece of candied pineapple. Those were her favorite.

Jon noticed her eating the fruit and smiled. “You’re eating the fruit I gave you.”

“It’s good,” Daenerys said, a smile blooming on her face. “It’s about the only edible thing around here,” she complained.

“I’ll send a raven to Winterfell and request that more be sent here immediately,” Jon offered.

Daenerys sighed. “Jon, you’re stalling. Tell me what happened at the battle of King’s Landing. Does Cersei still sit upon the Iron Throne?”

Jon gulped. “No…Cersei has decided to relinquish the throne to the rightful heir.” Jon paused and took a deep breath before saying: “Aegon Targaryen.”

Daenerys stiffened, and her smile faded. “I see.”

“I didn’t intend for things to work out this way,” Jon quickly began to explain. “I swear. But when the Northmen, Lannisters and Unsullied saw me emerge from the fires unburnt…I saw the opportunity to finally end the fighting.”

Daenerys’s blind eyes widened. “You are unburnt too? A _true_ Targaryen…?”

Jon shrugged sheepishly. “Apparently.”

“Go on,” Daenerys said. She wasn’t sure how she felt about this revelation. Should she be proud or jealous?

“When Cersei rang the bells and the city surrendered…we’d won. But Greyworm was determined to kill all the Lannisters and Cersei.” A dark shadow fell over Jon’s face as he remembered that pivotal moment. “I…I had no choice but to rally the Northmen and Lannisters behind me somehow in order to…kill the Unsullied for their treason.”

Daenerys frowned. “And Greyworm? Where is he now?”

“Greyworm went to the Red Keep to kill Cersei,” Jon began to explain. “I _had_ to stop him. I’d made a deal with Cersei that if she surrendered the city I would ensure her safety and that of her unborn child.”

“So _you_ killed Greyworm?” Daenerys asked in a chill tone.

“No…we fought, but ultimately The Hound killed him,” Jon explained, and let out a small sigh of relief. Clegane had been right to do the deed. If Jon had been the one to kill Greyworm it surely would have driven a wedge between them.

Daenerys set the bag of fruit down on the table. “I see. Greyworm…the Unsullied. What of my Dothraki?”

“Defeated by the Golden Company,” Jon revealed in an apologetic tone. “Look, Dany, I told Cersei to tell the lords of Westeros that…we’ll be getting married and the conflict over who gets to sit upon the Iron Throne has come to an end. That the war is over.”

Daenerys’s grim expression turned surprised and pleased. “You’re going to marry me? Make me your Queen?”

Jon gave Daenerys a confused look. “Of course.”

“But, you don’t _need_ to,” Daenerys started to explain. “You’ve won, Jon. My Dothraki and Unsullied have been defeated. I no longer have an army. I’m blind. I can no longer fight. The people know your true identity - Aegon Targaryen. First in line for the Iron Throne. You don’t need me. You could rule alone on the Iron Throne.”

“But I don’t want to rule alone on the Iron Throne,” Jon rebuked passionately. “I don’t even want it. Like I’ve already told you. I rather rule with you by my side as my Queen.”

“I…wanted to rule alone. I _planned_ to rule alone.” A guilty look settled over Daenerys’s face. “You would have been by my side, but as my consort and not my King. I wanted the throne all to myself. And you…you’re willing to share it with me? All that power? You are less selfish than I am.”

“You’re wrong. I’m being selfish too. I’m doing all this for you…because I love you,” Jon said softly. “I just want to be with you. To stay by your side. This is the only way I can think of to protect you.”

Daenerys unconsciously placed a hand over her stomach. “Protect…”

Jon had a point. If she remained unmarried she’d be a threat to his rein, but married to Jon she would be his Queen. The people would learn to accept her. Maybe even one day they’d come to love her instead of only fearing her.

Daenerys knew that if she wasn’t pregnant that she’d be furious with Jon for his betrayal. This conversation would have been going _very_ differently. He didn’t mean to do it, but he’d still stolen the Iron Throne away from her.

But, he also appeared to want to give it back to her through marriage. It was so confusing. Daenerys shook her head to clear it of such conflicting thoughts. She could feel a headache coming on. _I don’t know if I want to kiss him or kill him for this. What’s wrong with me?_

_Logically, I know he did the right thing, but I’m still so angry. But I don’t want to hurt Jon. He’s the father of my child._

“Jon, I need to be alone for a while,” Daenerys said suddenly. She could feel the anger rising up inside of her, and she was going to lash out at Jon if he stayed there any longer.

Jon’s hopeful expression turned sad, but resigned. He nodded. “I understand, My Queen.”

Jon straightened, let go of Daenerys’s hand, and exited the war council room. The room seemed darker without Jon’s comforting presence. Feeling restless and angry, Daenerys stood up from her chair and blindly made her way over to the large stone table that was covered by a terrain board.

Even though Daenerys could no longer see it - she knew what the war board looked like. It was covered with ceramic figurines that represented the soldiers under her command. But her Dothraki and Unsullied forces were no more.

“Argh!” A wave of anger crashed through her and she waved her hand over the table. When the pieces were knocked off the table and broke as they hit the floor Daenerys felt satisfied. She blindly knocked all the figurines off the table until they hit the floor and shattered.

Her Dothraki and Unsullied had been taken from her.

She’d been defeated by Jon Snow.

_Oh_ how she wanted to _hate_ him for this betrayal.

Not only had he defeated her Unsullied, he’d also stolen the Iron Throne.

She hated him. She loathed him. And yet…she loved him. Daenerys placed a hand over her stomach. Jon Snow was the father of her child. She had no choice but to love him for granting her this miracle.

But…she wouldn’t share the happy news with Jon. After all he needed to be punished somehow for his actions and this was the only thing Daenerys could think of. She knew she was being petty and childish, but she didn’t care.

Daenerys tasted salt on her lips and realized she was crying. Crying over her defeat. Crying over her loses. Crying over Greyworm’s death. He’d been more than just the commander of the Unsullied. He’d been a true friend.

Greyworm…you were loyal to me until the end. Daenerys thought. You tried to bring me Cersei’s head. Thank you, my dear friend. I hope that you and Missandei have been reunited.

Daenerys sank to her knees and cried into her hands. The bandages wrapped around her eyes became soaked in tears.

***

Jon paused outside the door to the war council room. Daenerys had told him she wanted to be alone, but he’d vowed to never leave her alone again. This resulted with Jon just standing outside the door like an idiot. He felt like he was waiting for something, but wasn’t sure what he was waiting for exactly.

Then he heard it - Daenerys let out a sound of anger and despair, and started to clear the terrain board of its ceramic figurines, which shattered as they hit the floor. “Argh!”

Of course, she was angry. Her Dothraki and Unsullied had been taken away from her.

When the sound of Daenerys sobbing loudly reached Jon’s ears he almost burst back inside the room again to comfort her. But it wasn’t his place to do so. He’d caused her this pain and suffering. _He’d_ done this. _He’d_ rallied the Northmen and Lannisters and defeated the Unsullied. _He’d_ let Greyworm be killed. This was _his_ fault. He had no right to try and offer her comfort.

But Jon would do it all again because at least Dany was still _alive_. And with _life_ there was _hope_.

Jon sank to his knees in front of the door, hung his head and reached his hand out until his palm was lying flat on the door. _I’m sorry, Dany…_

***

Jon awoke to someone tripping over his body and ending up on top of him on the floor. Jon’s hands went to the person’s waist and he blinked to see Daenerys sprawled on top of him. He flushed.

“W-Who’s there?” Daenerys demanded in an authoritative tone.

Jon’s eyes widened. “It’s me, Dany,” his said, his voice huskier than he would have liked, but her sudden closeness and her soft curves pressing against him did things to his body, and his sanity.

Daenerys visibly relaxed. “Oh, what are you doing lying in front of the door?”

“Sleeping?” Jon said.

Daenerys frowned. “There are beds for that.” She sighed. “You were out here all night?”

“Didn’t want to leave you alone…” Jon muttered softly.

Daenerys was oddly touched by Jon’s kindness and attentiveness. Feeling forgiving, Daenerys realized she could feel the hard muscles of Jon’s chest beneath her hands through his cotton shirt. “Hm. You’re not wearing armor.”

Jon gulped as Dany ran her hands over his chest in a tentative manner. “Why would I be?”

“Hm. Yes, the war has been won…by you. The conquering hero. The would-be king,” she said in a slightly mocking tone.

“Dany, I-” Jon started to object.

Daenerys leaned over and captured Jon’s lips with her own, kissing him passionately. Jon eagerly kissed her back. He could taste salt on her lips, and he kept his hands on her waist respectfully. He doubted that she’d want sex right now. She was in mourning.

With flushed cheeks, Daenerys abruptly pulled back. “I…I’m sorry, but…I don’t think I can do more than kiss you right now. It’s too strange not being able to see you.” She bit her bottom lip in an unsure gesture.

Jon reached up, cupped her cheek, and stroked it. She leaned into his touch. “Don’t worry. Don’t push yourself. I don’t mind waiting.” He gave her a lopsided smile.

Daenerys’s expression turned thoughtful. “You…you’re smiling right now, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“I can hear it…in the tone of your voice,” Daenerys said, and then shook her head. “Help your Queen to her bedchamber. Then tell the servants to prepare a hot bath for me. I wish to bathe.”

“Yes, My Queen,” Jon said, his voice laced with amusement. When Daenerys got bossy he knew she was feeling better. He helped Daenerys to her feet and led her to her bedchamber. A servant had a large copper tub filled with hot water for her in no time.

Again, Jon waited outside the door to her bedchamber in case Daenerys needed him.

Jon fell asleep sitting outside the door and woke up with Daenerys tripping over him _again_.

Daenerys breathed in deep. She recognized Jon’s unique scent - cinnamon, musk, and spice. “We really need to stop meeting like this,” Daenerys teased.

“I’m sorry. I must have fallen asleep.” Jon helped Daenerys to stand. She looked better. More rested. But it was still unnerving to see white bandages wrapped around her beautiful blue-gray eyes. “You look better.”

“I feel better,” Daenerys said with obvious relief. “This cold weather has definitely taken some getting used to. A hot bath makes it more bearable.”

“There’s something I want to show you, well, I mean, give you…shit.” Jon rubbed the back of his neck in a chagrined gesture.

“Show me,” Daenerys said.

Jon took Daenerys’s hand and led her to Dragonstone’s throne room. He led her over to the throne and helped her to sit on it.

“So what did you want to show-?” Daenerys gasped as she ran her hands along the arms of an unfamiliar throne. She turned in her seat and ran her hand along the back of the throne. “Is this what I think it is?” she asked, her voice tinged with awe.

“Yes. It’s the Iron Throne,” Jon confirmed. “I had it brought here for you. Yara and the ironborn helped. Don’t worry. When we move to the Red Keep I’ll have Yara take it back to the throne room there, but…I wanted you to have it. To know it is yours.”

Daenerys was running her hands over the impressive throne in appreciation. She could feel the welded swords beneath her fingertips. Some of their edges were still sharp. “When I was a girl my brother told me it was made from a thousand swords from Aegon’s fallen enemies. What do a thousand swords look like in the mind of a little girl who can’t count to twenty? I imagined a mountain of swords too high to climb…so many fallen enemies you could only see the soles of Aegon’s feet.” Daenerys smiled at the remembrance.

Jon smiled back at her. _Thank you, Clegane._ He thought. This gift did appear to make Daenerys happy. Still, Jon couldn’t help but be a little unnerved by her speech that was so similar to the one she’d made right before he’d kill her in that possible future.

“If the Iron Throne is mine - where will _you_ sit once they crown you King of the Seven Kingdoms?” Daenerys asked in a teasing tone.

“On your lap?” Jon brazenly suggested. He didn’t want to ruin this moment by correcting her that he wouldn’t be King of the Seven Kingdoms. He would be King of the _Six_ Kingdoms. The North would become an independent nation…probably ruled by Queen Sansa.

“You’re too heavy,” Daenerys said.

Jon shrugged. “I’ll have them make something for me, but this is your throne, Dany.”

“Thank you,” Daenerys said, but her eyes narrowed in suspicion behind her bandages. “Why are you being so _nice_ to me?”

“No reason. Can’t a man be nice to the woman he loves?” Jon said, and then laughed nervously.

“Did Tyrion tell you something?” Daenerys demanded.

“Tyrion?” Jon frowned.

“Nevermind. It’s…like you’re acting guilty. Ah, you think I blame you for Greyworm’s death? I was angry, but I forgive you. As you explained Greyworm left you with no choice. You wanted to protect the people of King’s Landing. The tens of thousands of people who live there…including the women and children.” She placed a hand over her stomach. “You did the right thing, Jon. For the sake of the children…”

Jon gave Daenerys a surprised, pleased look. “I did?”

“Yes…given the circumstances,” Daenerys said. “You had Bran take over Drogon, didn’t you?”

“Yes. I’m sorry, but-” Jon was saying.

“I’m glad you did it,” Daenerys swiftly cut in. “That Bran stopped me. I would have destroyed King’s Landing. I would have killed tens of thousands of people just to take my anger for Cersei out on them. They wouldn’t have deserved that. I would have burned women and children to ashes. I would have become…Queen of the Ashes.”

Jon nodded. “Yeah…”

“I would have made a mistake, but I was just so angry at Cersei…” Daenerys hugged herself with her arms. “The anger I felt was so all-consuming.”

“Understandable,” Jon said.

“She took Rhaegal and Missandei from me…”

“I know.”

“What do you think would have happened if I had burned King’s Landing?” Daenerys asked suddenly.

Jon flinched and the blood started to drain out of his face. He was suddenly glad Daenerys was blind at the moment. “What do you mean?”

“Would you still have supported me…a Mad Queen?” Daenerys prodded.

“You are my Queen…” Jon said in a gruff voice. “You will always be my Queen…I…”

Daenerys sighed. “I’ve heard enough. There’s no sense in talking about something that didn’t come to pass anyways.” Daenerys stood up and reached her hand out in Jon’s direction. “Come here.” Jon walked over to Daenerys and took her hand obediently. “Sit down.” Jon sat down on the throne and Daenerys sat on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. “We could always rule the people like _this_ ,” she teased.

Jon chuckled, put his hands on her waist, and pulled her closer. “I would be too distracted by you to concentrate on politics.”

Daenerys leaned into him. “Oh, really? So any time I don’t like one of your decisions I just have to distract you like _this_.” Daenerys reached her hands out to find Jon’s face, then leaned forward and kissed him tenderly. Jon kissed her back. Daenerys pulled back, and smiled impishly. “What are you thinking about?”

“Nothing,” Jon said.

Daenerys laughed. “Yes, all the blood in your head has run south. I can feel it.” She wiggled on his lap, her thighs brushing against his hardening cock.

Jon flushed. “Sorry, but that’s what you do to me, and I decided not to deny myself and to give into the temptation of being with you…of wanting you…”

“I wonder if people have ever had sex on the Iron Throne before…?” Daenerys questioned in a playful tone.

Jon’s cock twitched with interest at the mere suggestion. “I don’t know.”

“I bet Cersei fucked her brother on this throne,” Daenerys said in a thoughtful tone.

“With an audience?” Jon asked seriously.

“Sounds like Cersei. She probably wanted applause for her grand performance,” Daenerys said in a mock-serious manner. She reached down and rubbed at Jon’s crotch through his black leather pants.

“Daenerys?” Jon groaned.

“I…can’t be with you like this…not yet, but I want to touch you. Is that okay?” Daenerys asked nervously.

“Hell yes…” Jon said eagerly.

Daenerys undid Jon’s pants before reaching in and pulling out his erection. Daenerys tentatively ran her hand over Jon’s throbbing length, studying it with her touch. Jon’s cock was long, hard, and had a velvety texture. He was so thick that the tips of her fingers only just barely touched as she wrapped her hand completely around him.

Daenerys pumped his cock slowly then picked up the pace and applied more pressure until she was bouncing on his lap as his hips bucked desperately in response to her ministrations.

“Dany…gods…I’m close…” Jon groaned.

Daenerys leaned over to whisper in Jon’s ear. “Come for me, My King.”

A thrill went up Jon’s spine out of surprise at being called ‘King’. Being called King by Daenerys was hot. He came in her hand, shouting her name: “Dany! My Queen!”

Daenerys noted the texture of his come and grew curious. She brought her hand up and licked her fingers, tasting him. His come was salty, sweet, and there was a hint of cinnamon.

Jon’s eyes flared in shock as he watched Daenerys lick his come off her fingers, and he shuddered. “Gods…” He was getting hard again at that erotic sight.

Daenerys’s hand brushed against his cock and she noticed. “You’re getting hard again. So soon?” she asked in an amused and impressed tone.

Daenerys was just about to wrap her hand around his length again when there was a sudden loud knock on the double doors to the throne room.

Jon and Daenerys both jumped, and then smiled and laughed at their embarrassment. “We’re acting like naughty children being caught doing something we shouldn’t be doing,” Daenerys said breathlessly. She quickly arranged the skirt of her gown to cover Jon’s lap and half-hard cock. Then she cleared her throat and spoke in a haughty voice: “Enter.”

The double doors opened and in stepped Tyrion Lannister.

“It’s Tyrion,” Jon said softly for her benefit.

Daenerys was slightly irritated that he was there at Dragonstone, but she supposed that he was still her Hand despite her defeat.

“My Queen. My, er…” Tyrion hesitated with how he should address Jon in Daenerys’s presence.

Daenerys sighed with obvious irritation. “You can call Jon your King, if you wish…” Daenerys was already bored with this conversation. She decided to make things more interesting by wrapping her hand around Jon’s cock, and starting to stroke it.

Jon shot Daenerys an alarmed look, but of course she didn’t see this.

Tyrion’s worried expression turned surprise. “Actually, that’s why I’m here. Technically, Jon isn’t a King _yet_. He needs to be crowned as King Aegon Targaryen _first_.” Tyrion hesitated with what he was going to say next. “Then after Jon’s coronation…the two of you will be married and you’ll become Queen.”

Daenerys’s accidentally squeezed her hand around Jon’s cock due to her irritation with Tyrion’s words, and Jon let out a gasp. “So in the people’s eyes I’ll become Queen _through marriage_ with Jon?”

Jon and Tyrion shared a worried look.

Daenerys sighed at their silence. She could just picture them looking worried. “I don’t need eyes to tell you’re both concerned about how I’ll react to this…news. You’re both walking on eggshells around me and it’s irritating me. Stop it.” She frowned thoughtfully. “You’re both acting like you’re afraid I’m going to go mad or something,” she joked, and smiled, but that smile fell from her face when her teasing words were met with more heavy silence. “I see.”

“Of course not, My Queen,” Tyrion quickly recovered.

Daenerys raised her free hand - the one that wasn’t still stroking Jon’s cock beneath her skirt. “Enough pandering. Perhaps…perhaps I _was_ going mad. I can ‘see’ this now. As strange as that sounds. Don’t worry, Tyrion. I’m pleased by the news of Jon’s coronation.”

Jon’s mouth opened slightly and he gaped at Daenerys. “You’re pleased? Not angry?” There was a skeptical note to his voice.

Daenerys shoved Jon’s shoulder. “I have my _reasons_ for being pleased with you becoming King.” She smiled wolfishly, and started to increase the speed and pressure of her ministrations.

Jon’s eyes flared and he stifled a groan, biting his lower lip. “Dany…”

Tyrion’s brow furrowed in confusion. “My Queen, have you told Jon the good news?”

Daenerys paused in her ministrations, and frowned at Tyrion. “No. And if you tell him I’ll have you executed,” she said sweetly.

“Tell me what?” Jon asked distractedly. He was so close to coming it was painful and Daenerys had stopped stroking him. It was maddening.

Tyrion gulped. “Nothing. Apparently,” he muttered the last darkly to himself. He wasn’t sure why Daenerys would want to keep her pregnancy a secret from Jon, but if that’s what his Queen wanted he would humor her. “The coronation will be in ten days. That should give you enough time to rest and recover after your ordeal. After Jon’s coronation we’ve decided to host a ball at the Red Keep. The lords and ladies of Westeros and their guests will attend.”

“A ball?” Daenerys questioned. “You mean…like a dance?”

“You’ve never been to a ball?” Jon asked curiously.

“No. I haven’t,” Daenerys admitted.

Jon offered Dany a crooked smile. “I suppose I’ll have to teach you how to dance.”

“Oh, you’ll teach me?” Daenerys’s eyebrows rose to her hairline. “ _You_ know how to dance?”

“Lady Catelyn Stark taught me in the event I was married off to some rich noble lady…” Jon revealed.

“Rich, noble lady?” Daenerys echoed and started to stroke Jon’s cock again. “Is that the kind of woman you wanted Jon Snow? A delicate, noble lady who liked to dance in pretty silk shoes dresses and delicate shoes that were in tatters by the end of the night?”

Jon gasped and bucked into her hand. _Shit._ He hoped Tyrion hadn’t noticed that. “No, My Queen. I…I wanted a woman like you.”

“Like me?” Daenerys prompted.

“Strong. Beautiful. Kind,” Jon said in a deep, husky voice.

Jon’s words pleased her, but also made her feel guilty for some reason.

Kind…

When was the last time she’d acted out of kindness, and not anger or hatred?

_You have a kind heart, Khaleesi._ Jorah had told her.

So much had changed since then. But she still wanted to make the world a better place.

“You think I’m beautiful?” Daenerys purred as she teased the tip of his cock with her index finger.

Jon groaned, and swallowed thickly. “Stunning. I thought so when I first laid eyes on you. I couldn’t believe you were actually real. You looked like this porcelain doll Sansa used to play with.”

Daenerys blushed. “Oh? I thought you were handsome, but also highly irritating, foolhardy, and stubborn.”

“Please…Dany…” Jon begged, momentarily forgetting Tyrion’s presence.

Daenerys shot Tyrion an impatient look, or at least she tried to. It was hard to glare at someone with bandages wrapped around your eyes. “Well, why are you still here? Was there something else? Can’t you tell we’re having a very important _discussion_?”

“No. Nothing that can’t wait,” Tyrion said, feeling hurt by the harsh dismissal. Jon had been avoiding him at the Red Keep, and now Daenerys was acting coldly towards him. Was she angry with him because due to his lack of guidance she’d lost the Iron Throne to Jon? In a sense, he’d failed his Queen. “I’ll leave you two alone then…”

“Please do,” Daenerys said shortly.

Tyrion turned and headed for the double doors frowning thoughtfully. _They wouldn’t…!_ The imp suddenly thought and glanced behind his shoulder. But Jon and Daenerys were the perfect picture of innocence - except Jon looked flush and was panting slightly. Tyrion’s eyes widened and he quickly averted his gaze. _They are…! On the Iron Throne!_ Tyrion smiled lopsidedly. _Jon, you wolf._ _Even Cersei never did that._ Chuckling, Tyrion left the throne room, and closed the double doors behind him.

Dany leaned over and nibbled Jon’s ear. “I thought he’d never leave. He always goes on and on and on…” She started to stroke Jon harder and faster since she no longer had to worry about Tyrion catching on to what they were doing.

“Oh, gods, Dany…” Jon panted and tried to concentrate enough to form a coherent sentence. “You’re really not angry about the coronation ceremony?”

“No,” Daenerys said simply. _I need Jon to become King._ She thought to herself grimly. _That way I’ll marry him and become Queen. It’s the only way my child will be safe in Westeros now. Until I find a cure for my blindness I will be dependant on Jon for my safety and the safety of our child. I’m still angry with him, but that’s why I’m punishing him by not telling him about my pregnancy. I’ll forgive him eventually…and then I’ll reward him by telling him the good news._ Daenerys smiled at her devious thoughts. “Come for me again, My King,” she urged.

Jon came, his cock pulsing in her hand as it shot out stripes of white, hot cum all over her delicate hand.

Dany raised her hand and smeared the come over the back of throne. “Now you’ve truly claimed the throne and marked it as your own,” she teased.

Jon’s eyes widened at the sight of his thick, white come covered one of the swords. He turned his attention back to Daenerys. “No. Ours. Don’t forget, My Queen.”

“Ours then,” Daenerys agreed in an airy tone.

To be continued in…Chapter 5: No one

Author’s Note: I had to change the chapter title because Jon and Daenerys got a little too carried away in the throne room and I didn’t have time to get them to King’s Landing in this chapter. Lol!

Diehard Game of Thrones fans, maybe you can help me answer a few questions. How many days would it take for someone to get from King’s Landing to the God’s Eye Lake where the Isle of Faces is on horseback? In the books, do they explain how Jon’s father Rhaegar died…or did he just mysteriously disappear? Also, in the books did they ever explain what Jon’s skin-changer abilities are? Thanks for all your help!

Stalk me on facebook & Twitter- facebook.com/authorkurokonekokamen @KurokonekoKamen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	5. No one

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Game of Thrones or A Song of Ice and Fire.

 

Chapter 5: No One

 

Yara ended up sailing Jon, Daenerys, Tyrion and Kinvara to the shores of King’s Landing. From there the group got into a carriage that would take them the rest of the way to the Red Keep. Jon noted that Daenerys was being oddly silent during their carriage ride and was sitting quite stiffly in her seat.

Jon reached out and took Daenerys’s hand that had been lying on the carriage seat next to his thigh. “That’s a lovely dress.” Jon let his eyes rake over Daenerys’s form appreciatively. The black silk gown she was wearing had the pattern of red chrysanthemums on it.

“Is it?” Daenerys questioned airily. “What did you dress me in, Kinvara?”

“I thought it would be fitting to wear a red and black gown since those are your House colors,” Kinvara explained.

“Red is also the color of the Lord of Light,” Daenerys keenly pointed out.

“Well, yes…” Kinvara agreed hesitantly.

Daenerys sighed. “I suppose you’ll want me to appear as supporter of the Lord of Light when I become Queen?”

“That’s not necessary, but it would be greatly appreciated by the Lord of Light’s followers,” Kinvara said diplomatically.

Daenerys turned to face Jon’s general direction. “You got quiet all of a sudden. What is your opinion of the Lord of Light, Jon?”

Jon stiffened in his seat, and he wondered if he imagined it, but his scars burned. “Well, I never told you this, but while I was the Commander of the Night’s Watch I was betrayed and killed.”

“Killed?” Daenerys echoed in a hollow tone.

“He was stabbed seven times,” Tyrion added helpfully. “Some brat stabbed him twice…”

Daenerys’s head snapped in Tyrion’s direction. “You knew about this? And you didn’t tell me?”

“I know a lot of things,” Tyrion smirked. “How am I supposed to know which things I know that you want to know?”

Daenerys let out a huff in response.

“The Red Priestess Melisandre used her connection with the Lord of Light to bring me back…” Jon revealed. “She claims it wasn’t through her own power but through power granted to her by the Lord of Light.”

“The Lord of Light brought you back to life…” Daenerys said in an awed tone. “But why?”

Jon shrugged carelessly. “Hell if I know. But…I can’t really be against the Lord of Light since that would be ungrateful, but he scares me, and I’m not really one for religion.”

“But…you’ve seen what lies beyond death,” Daenerys said.

“I didn’t see anything,” Jon denied in a grim tone. “All I remember is…darkness.”

“I’m sure your purpose will be fulfilled in good time, Jon Snow,” Kinvara said. “Do not worry.”

Jon shifted uncomfortably on his seat as the Red Priestess’s eyes bored into him. Those Red Priestesses made him incredibly uncomfortable. “I was thinking that my sister Sansa could help see to your needs at the Red Keep, Dany. I’m sure Kinvara has a lot to do: praying, spreading the word, preaching…” He waved his hand through the air.

Daenerys’s lips dipped into a frown. “Sansa? Jon, you know your sister doesn’t like me very much.”

“She’ll get over it,” Jon said firmly. “Once we’re married she’ll be family. Though I’m not sure what relation that would be considered.” Jon’s head was starting to pound again. The truth of his own origins often gave him a headache when he stopped to think about them. His ‘adoptive father’ turned out to be his uncle. His ‘aunt’ turned out to be his ‘mother’. And his lover turned out to be his ‘aunt’. Talk about a mindfuck.

“If you say so,” Daenerys said, but she didn’t sound very convinced. “I did offer her my friendship once already and she refused. I’ll try to get along with her though for your sake.”

“Things are different now,” Jon said reassuringly. “You’ll see.”

“She’s truly going to accept me being Queen of the North eventually?” Daenerys asked.

Jon winced in a guilty fashion. “About that…I’ll be King of the Six Kingdoms and you’ll be Queen of the Six Kingdoms, excluding the North. The North will be a free, independent nation.”

“So you promised your sister the North without consulting me first?” Daenerys asked, a dark edge to her voice.

Jon thought that Daenerys’s ability to glare daggers at him while having bandages wrapped around her eyes was pretty impressive. “It’s the only way to appease her and make her accept all this.”

Daenerys let out a heavy sigh. “Your sister would have gone to war with me if I had ended up Queen, wouldn’t she have?”

Jon was deathly silent in response.

“I thought as much,” Daenerys said. “I was making you choose between your sisters and me.” She suddenly realized and immediately felt guilty. “I never should have put you in that position. I’m sorry.” She squeezed Jon’s hand in a sympathetic gesture.

Jon was surprised by her apology. “Thank you. It means a lot to me to know that you feel that way.”

“What about Cersei?” Daenerys questioned.

“Don’t worry about Cersei. I have her under control,” Jon said in a nonchalant tone.

“Hm. If you say so,” Daenerys said.

“My sister is being strangely complacent about all this,” Tyrion remarked aloud and his brow furrowed in a combination of worry and suspicion. “It’s not like her.”

A guilty look crossed Jon’s face. “Maybe she’s finally seen the light, and turned over a new leaf?”

Tyrion let out a disbelieving snort. “Unlikely. I’ll have to have a word with my sister, and find out what she’s really up to.”

“No!” Jon blurted out and then quickly composed himself. “Er, why disturb a good thing? What if something you say sets her off on the warpath again?”

Tyrion frowned and nodded. “You’re right. Best not to wake a sleeping lioness.”

Jon laughed nervously at that. _Too late._ He thought.

The carriage came to a halt at the base of the steps that led to the front double doors of the Red Keep. Jon helped Daenerys get out of the carriage, and held her hand as they approached the front doors of the castle. Daenerys let out a wistful sigh. “I wish I could see it. After all, my ancestors built this castle three-hundred years ago.”

Jon was surprised Daenerys suddenly cared about the castle. In that possible future she’d destroyed the castle without even a second thought. This _had_ to be a good sign - her _caring_ about something. “ _Our_ ancestors…” Jon murmured.

“Indeed,” Daenerys agreed. “Our ancestors. Once again, Targaryens will live and rule here.” She smiled proudly. “I wonder if our ancestors are pleased with us, Jon.”

“I’m sure they are.” Jon’s tone was hopeful. He guided Dany to the front doors, and guided her hand to the surface of one of the doors so that she could touch and feel the door’s intricate, ornate carvings.

When the group entered the entrance hall they were greeted by Sansa, Bran, who was seated in a wheelchair, Cersei, the Hound, and Samwell Tarley.

“My sister Sansa, Bran, Cersei, The Hound, and Sam are here to greet us,” Jon informed Daenerys helpfully in a low voice.

Sansa approached the group first. “Welcome to the Red Keep, Daenerys.”

“Welcome, _Queen_ Daenerys,” Bran greeted pointedly, shooting Sansa a reprimanding stare.

“Welcome, Queen Daenerys,” Cersei, The Hound, and Sam said at the same time, following Bran’s lead.

Daenerys’s eyes widened behind her bandages. “I’m not Queen yet.”

“A mere technicality…” Cersei began in an amiable tone, waving her hand dismissively through the air. “We all know Jon loves you and intends to marry you. You will be his Queen. It is only a matter of time.” The Hound nudged Cersei in her side with his elbow. Cersei glared at him and mouthed: ‘what?’ while giving him a wide-eyed, innocent look.

Jon scrubbed a hand down his face and was morbidly pleased Daenerys couldn’t witness Arya’s bad acting skills. Although Jon knew Arya could do a good job when she was serious. She was just having fun at their expense.

Tyrion frowned at the strange interaction between The Hound and his sister, and shook his head. “I need a drink…” He started to walk off.

“I’ll go with you, Lord Tyrion,” Bran said.

Tyrion shot Bran a surprised yet pleased look. “Great. I hate drinking alone since there’s no one around to laugh at the witty jokes I can come up with once I get _really_ drunk.” The imp grabbed the wheelchair and began to wheel Bran off.

“I will go find the chapel,” Kinvara declared before leaving.

“We need to go…do something important,” Clegane said, grabbing Cersei’s arm, and hauling her away.

“Something _important_?” Cersei chided in amusement.

Jon’s attention turned to Sansa once the others had left. “Sansa, do you think you could take Dany up to her room? I need to speak to Sam about something important.” Jon leaned forward to whisper in Sansa’s ear. “If you’re not nice to Dany I’ll become King of the _Seven_ Kingdoms tomorrow,” he threatened.

Sansa’s eyes widened slightly at the unexpected threat and a frown marred her pretty face. “Of course, Jon. I’d be _happy_ to,” she said in a strained tone before she started to walk off.

“Sansa!” Jon called after her with an edge of frustration to his voice. “You’ll need to take her hand.”

Sansa startled in surprise, glanced back at Daenerys, and took in the sight of the white bandages wrapped around the Dragon Queen’s eyes. She’d forgotten about Daenerys’s blindness already. Sansa felt a small twinge of guilt. She could be really self-absorbed. “Oh, right. I forgot. Sorry.” Sansa took Daenerys’s hand and started to lead her away.

Jon watched Daenerys allow herself to be led off with her back straight and chin held high. He felt proud and impressed that Daenerys was acting so composed when she’d so recently been cursed with blindness. Jon figured he’d still be having a tantrum and a nervous break down probably.

“Hello, Jon,” Sam greeted with a lopsided smile. “What did you need to talk to me about that you would leave your lovely fiancée alone?”

Jon sighed. “Let’s go talk in the Royal Library. I have the feeling it’s where you’ll need to be after I’ve told you what’s on my mind.”

Once Jon and Sam arrived at the library they took a seat at one of the long tables. “So…what’s up?” Sam prodded.

“It’s about Daenerys’s blindness,” Jon began, trying to get comfortable on the spindly chair with its hard velvet cushion. “And about finding a cure.”

Sam frowned. “A cure? Forgive me for saying this, but she seems much more…” He waved his hand through the air as he tried to come up with the right word to describe Daenerys without sounding insulting. “Docile? Calm? Harmless? Wouldn’t it be better to keep her this way?” he questioned tentatively, and held his breath.

Jon’s blood boiled at Sam’s thinly veiled insult to the woman he loved. “You want me to let the woman I love live her life in eternal night when there’s a chance I can save her from that darkness?” He clenched his hands into fists on his lap. “You think that I should keep her shackled like a wild animal by her blindness. I didn’t think you were that cruel.”

The hurt and betrayal in Jon’s voice made Sam hang his head in shame. “Sorry…I was being cruel, but I didn’t call her a wild animal. You did.” Sam looked up and gave Jon a pointed look.

“She’s a dragon,” Jon said solemnly. “But that’s part of why I fell in love with her. Her wild, fiery spirit. She’s beautiful, powerful, deadly, and yet fragile. It’s that juxtaposition that drew me to her. I have to protect her _this time_ , Sam.”

Sam’s eyebrows rose to his hairline. “This time?”

Jon scrubbed a hand down his haggard face, and looked up at Sam with a haunted expression. “What if I told you I had a vision of a possible future?”

Sam’s eyes widened. “You mean…you’re like Bran?”

Jon chuckled at the suggestion. “No, at least I don’t think so, but it was with Bran’s help that I saw this possible future.” Sadness swirled in Jon’s hazel eyes. “In that future I killed the woman I love, Sam…”

Sam sucked in a breath, and he glanced around the library to make sure no one was eavesdropping before he leaned over the table and said softly: “You _killed_ Daenerys?”

Jon nodded. “It was after she burned King’s Landing to the ground…”

Sam frowned. “But she didn’t burn- _ohhh_. So you fixed it? You changed the future?”

“For the most part…” Jon ran a hand back through his disheveled, wavy black hair to get a few wayward locks out of his eyes. “Dany is still alive at least, but she was blinded while trying to rescue me. I owe her, Sam. It’s scary not knowing what happens next anymore. I don’t know what I should do. All I know is that I love her and want to protect her this time.”

Sam nodded, reached out, and patted Jon’s arm. “I’ve got your back, Jon. You can count on me. I’ll always be on your side and I’ll do whatever I can to help. So what did you have in mind?”

“Kinvara spoke of the source of all magic…” Jon began. “The very first weirwood tree. The Mother Tree. Apparently, it has healing properties.”

“That’s not much to go on.” Sam frowned.

“Apparently, the Children of the Forest used the tree in their ritual to create the Night King,” Jon added.

Sam’s eyes widened. “The Children of the Forest? Now _that’s_ something to start with.” He stroked his chin. “I seem to remember reading something about the Children of the Forest and weirwood trees in one of the books I stole from the Citadel. I’ll have to find it and reread it, and see if it holds any clues about the Mother Tree.”

Jon’s bleak expression turned hopeful, and he reached out to put a hand on Sam’s arm. “Thanks, Sam. I knew I could count on you.”

***

Sansa led Daenerys through the castle corridors until she’d reached Dany’s appointed room. She opened the door and ushered Daenerys inside. “It’s a pity you can’t see the room,” Sansa said conversationally. “This room used to be Cersei’s.”

“Cersei’s?” Daenerys echoed in disbelief.

Sansa laughed softly. “I _know_. I’m surprised she offered to let you have this room. I remember being so envious of it when I first came to live here in the Red Keep. There’s a lavish canopy bed draped in gold, silk sheets. A lovely mahogany vanity table with an oval-shaped mirror. There’s a matching armoire and a dresser. There’s a table covered with crystal decanters filled with Dornish wine. The tapestries hanging on the walls used to have lions on them, but Jon had them replaced with tapestries that have dragons. Unfortunately, the only tapestry they could find that had dragons on it was a tapestry that depicts the Doom of Valyria…”

Daenerys startled at the unexpected mention of Valyria. “The Doom of Valyria? My brother used to tell me that story when I was a child. Please, Sansa, tell me what the tapestry looks like…”

Sansa frowned and looked at the tapestry. “It’s just a tapestry of Valyria with its fourteen volcanoes that are erupting, for some reason. Dragons and their riders are flying all around Valyria in a panic, and are being burned by the lava that’s spewing out into the air in arcs. The lava looks like deadly whips. It’s a little morbid if you ask me.”

“No one really knows what caused The Doom…” Daenerys said softly.

“If the volcanoes erupted…it was probably just caused by an earthquake,” Sansa said smartly.

Daenerys shook her head. “Around that time…several powerful sorcerers were keeping the powers of the magical volcanoes in check. They wouldn’t just erupt, even if there was an earthquake. The Doom wasn’t a natural disaster. Magic was involved somehow. At least, according to my brother…”

“Well, The Doom happened hundreds of years ago,” Sansa said airily. “It doesn’t matter now. Jon really loves you, you know?” she said, deciding to change the subject from doom and gloom.

“I know,” Daenerys said with a soft smile on her face. “And as I told you before…I love Jon.”

Sansa gave Daenerys a skeptical and slightly suspicious look. “Even now? After he’s stolen the Iron Throne away from you?”

At the mention of the Iron Throne Daenerys couldn’t help but remember what she and Jon had done on that throne in front of Tyrion Lannister! She blushed. “Actually, he brought it to me at Dragonstone…”

Sansa huffed. “You know what I mean. The truth of Jon’s origins has been revealed to all. He is the true heir to the Iron Throne now. Tomorrow he’ll be coronated and made King of the Six Kingdoms. And that doesn’t bother you…?”

“It would have, but things are _different_ now…” Daenerys said, unconsciously putting a hand over her stomach. “Still, you must be happy. This is what _you_ wanted all along. Jon sitting on the throne. The North free. And who will rule the North, I wonder?”

Sansa flushed. “I would not presume to know the will of the Northern lords, but if they want me to be their Queen then I would be honored.”

“You always wanted to be Queen, didn’t you?” Daenerys asked.

“Yes,” Sansa admitted. “I was even willing to put up with marrying Joffrey if it meant I’d be Queen.”

“Power is…intoxicating.” Daenerys smiled sympathetically. “Once you have a taste you end up wanting more and more. But sometimes there are more important things than power.”

Sansa frowned. “Like what?”

“Love.”

Sansa snorted. “Pffft. Love.”

Daenerys’s white eyebrows rose in surprise. “You’ve never been in love?”

Sansa thought of her doomed infatuation with the Knight of Flowers who she’d later found out had no interest in women to begin with. What a naïve little fool she’d been.

Then there’d been her ‘husband’ Tyrion. She’d never felt physically attracted to the imp even if he could be charming. Tyrion was her friend and ally now, and she did have feelings of caring for him, but nothing more.

Sansa felt a twinge of guilt when she thought of Tyrion. She had known that when she told Tyrion Jon’s origins that he’d tell Lord Varys, and that Varys would probably try to have Daenerys assassinated. At least, this is what Sansa had been hoping for and she’d been right. Varys hadn’t let her down…but he’d failed. Sansa was surprised that Tyrion was still alive. If she’d been Daenerys she probably would have had him executed already for opening his big mouth.

Sansa had decided to throw Tyrion to the wolves or should she say dragon, because she wanted to do everything in her power to ensure that Jon ended up on the Iron Throne. Sansa had been sure that Daenerys was mad and would burn King’s Landing to the ground. But Daenerys hadn’t burned King’s Landing after all. Sansa had been wrong. And apparently, Jon had been right about Daenerys all along. It made her feel guilty and conflicted over the Dragon Queen.

When Sansa thought of her husband Ramsay a chill crawled up her spine and she shuddered. She only felt hatred and disgust when she thought of Ramsay and his cold, clammy hands touching her body. “I haven’t had very much luck with men, I’m afraid. They’ve always tried to hurt or use me.”

“No one has ever protected you?” Daenerys questioned.

Sansa suddenly remembered The Hound, and how he’d saved her from behind raped. She’d been frightened of Clegane as a young, innocent girl, but now…he no longer frightened her. And she was strangely drawn to him. It was an alarming attraction and one she tended to ignore for her own sanity.

Daenerys smiled into the telling silence. “You’re thinking of someone. I can tell. You should go to him. Tell him how you feel.”

“Ha!” Sansa said. “He’d…he’d probably laugh in my face. Say I was crazy. He treats me like a child…”

Daenerys grew curious. “You’re a beautiful, young woman. If he treats you like a child then he must care for you.”

“No way, ” Sansa immediately denied. “He couldn’t. He wouldn’t. I’d never be able to. Besides, sex is awful.” Sansa bit her lower lip when she realized she’s said the last aloud.

Daenerys arched an eyebrow at Sansa before her expression turned sympathetic. “I also went through a time where having sex with my husband was a frightening experience.”

“Really?” Sansa breathed in shock.

Daenerys nodded. “That was before I _learned_ to love him. Afterwards, I learned that women have the real power in the marriage bed. Men just act like they have power and control when it comes to sex, but _we_ control their pleasure. We can choose to heighten it, or dampen it. And if we heighten it then we have them eating out of the palms of our hands. They become _our_ playthings. At least, in the bedroom.”

“I remember Cersei saying something about how sex is a weapon that can be used against men…” Sansa remarked. “When I first met you I thought you were manipulating Jon with sex.”

“I risked everything and decided to fight alongside Jon against the Night King…because I love him,” Daenerys reminded. “Sometimes sex can be used as a weapon against women.”

“Ew. Are you implying Jon is that good in bed?” Sansa teased.

Daenerys smiled. “He’s…passable.”

“Oh, only passable, huh? I wonder what Jon will think if I tell him that?” Sansa prompted.

“I wouldn’t do it. You’d make him cry,” Daenerys said in her most serious voice. “Jon is sensitive.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” Sansa agreed.

“Men desire women. I’m sure whoever he is…your mysterious protector…that if you asked him to be gentle he would be in order to have the rare chance to be with you,” Daenerys said.

“Why are you telling me this?” Sansa asked. “You don’t even like me?”

“I…lost my only female friend in the world when Missandei was executed,” Daenerys explained. “I don’t have anyone to talk to about ‘men troubles’ now. And maybe…I’d like to make a new friend.”

Sansa gave the Dragon Queen a skeptical look. “You want _us_ to be friends? After the horrible way I’ve treated you?”

“I can forgive you…if you’ll forgive me,” Daenerys said. “Us girls should stick together. Besides, it’s over Sansa. You’ve won. I can admit defeat.”

“You haven’t really lost…” Sansa corrected. “Jon will marry you. You’ll be his Queen.”

“Yes, Queen through marriage.” Daenerys sighed. “It’s not exactly what I wanted, but it will have to do for now, I suppose. As I said, sometimes there are more important things than power.” Daenerys’s train of thought immediately went to her unborn child again.

“I…I’d like us to be friends,” Sansa began hesitantly. “As long as you can truly accept that I’m probably going to be Queen of the North.”

“And the wheel continues to spin. It was harder to break than I thought. But now…I’m glad it’s not broken,” Daenerys said, an odd wistful note in her voice as she thought of her son one day sitting upon the Iron Throne. “You won the Game of Thrones, Sansa. I can respect that…you and your brother bested me. The North will be lucky to have you as their Queen. I pity the North’s enemies.”

Sansa smiled. “Thank you…and the Six Kingdoms will be lucky to have you as theirs,” she said diplomatically.

Daenerys frowned. “Will they? I used to think I was right and good, but somewhere along the way I started to make the wrong choices. If Bran hadn’t possessed Drogon I may have burned King’s Landing to the ground. I was so angry I would have destroyed the castle my ancestors built. My family’s legacy. I would have become the Mad Queen. Queen of the Ashes. Innocent children would have perished in dragonfire…” Daenerys hugged herself at the unsettling thought.

“I would have been angry too after what Cersei did to you…” Sansa said sympathetically. “She killed your dragon Rhaegal. Executed Missandei.”

“But Cersei is _not_ the people of King’s Landing…” Daenerys said. “I had no right to take my anger out on innocent people. I’m glad Jon and Bran stopped me. It’s strange...ever since I lost my eyesight I’ve seen things more clearly suddenly. Maybe it’s for the best if I remain blind.”

“If a cure exists, Jon will find it for you,” Sansa said firmly. “Don’t lose hope.”

_Sansa doesn’t understand._ Daenerys thought as Sansa tried to console her. _I’m not worried about remaining blind. I’m more worried that if my eyesight does return so will my madness._ Daenerys decided to wisely change the subject. “Cersei is being strangely accommodating letting me have her room, and of course, relinquishing the crown to Jon…”

“I know,” Sansa agreed. “It’s very suspicious, if you ask me. Hopefully she won’t have us strangled in our sleep!” Sansa joked and then started to laugh.

Daenerys found herself laughing too.

***

That night a hopeful Jon went to Daenerys’s appointed bedchamber and knocked on the door.

“Who is it?” Daenerys called out.

“It’s me…Jon.”

Jon heard the sound of someone approaching slowly, and then the door opened to reveal Daenerys dressed in a red silk nightgown. The nightgown had a plunging v-neck and clung to her curves deliciously. Jon tried hard not to salivate. “May I come in, Dany?” Jon asked in a husky voice.

Daenerys frowned. “Jon…I…I’m sorry, but not tonight. I want to be alone.”

Jon instantly felt like he was being inconsiderate to Daenerys with her current condition, and grew embarrassed. He rubbed the back of his neck in a chagrined gesture. “Uh…right. Sorry. I’ll just…head back to my room then…”

“I think that would be for the best. Yes,” Daenerys agreed before closing the door in Jon’s face. He tried not to feel insulted when she _locked_ the door for good measure. It’s not like he was some sex-crazed fiend that would break down her door during the night and have his wicked way with her. He had patience and restraint. He could wait until she was ready for them to be together again.

Jon frowned as he stared at the door. There was no way he was going to leave her. He’d vowed to himself to never leave her alone again.

Jon stomped his feet loudly so Daenerys would hear the sound, and think he’d walked away. Then Jon rested his back against the door, slid down the door, and took a seat on the cold stone floor. _I guess this is where the future King of the Six Kingdoms will be sleeping tonight…_

Jon could hardly blame Daenerys for her wishy-washy behavior though. It must have been hard for her to accept that tomorrow he would be coronated.

_I’ve told her I don’t want it._ Jon thought. _But I don’t think she really believes me. After we’re married…she’ll see. She has to._

Jon had just nodded off to sleep when he heard a sudden cry for help:

“Help! Someone! Help! Guards! There’s someone in my room!” Daenerys called out.

“Daenerys!” Jon leapt to his feet and tried the door. It was still locked. _What the…?_ If Daenerys’s door was still locked that could only mean that someone had gotten into her room from the window. The window that was hundreds of feet above the ground. Who could possibly have accomplished such an impossible feat?

Jon started to ram his shoulder against the door again and again in an effort to break it down. Finally the door gave way with an audible _crack_ , and Jon burst his way inside the room to see: no one.

“ _What_ the hell is that?” Jon said, his voice laced with horror.

Daenerys was lying on the bed, and a feminine figure was straddling her body while trying to stab her. Miraculously, Daenerys had managed to catch the assassin’s wrists, and was stopping the figure from plunging her dagger into Daenerys’s heart.

Due to the figure’s feminine shape, Jon assumed the assassin was female. She was wearing a white, hooded cloak, and a black and white leather bodysuit. The image of a black tree decorated the back of the woman’s cloak.

But it was the woman’s face, or rather lack thereof, that truly unnerved Jon.

The woman’s face was featureless and smooth like an egg. How did the woman see or breathe with a face like that? Jon wondered with mounting unease.

“Daenerys!” Jon called out again.

The faceless woman turned to ‘stare’ eerily in Jon’s direction before reaching into her outfit, taking out a second knife, and throwing it at Jon.

Jon dodged out of the way, and the knife hit the door behind him with a _twang_. Jon got a better look at the knife. It was ten-inches long, including its hilt, and relatively flat. It had obviously been designed for throwing. _Shit!_ Jon quickly unsheathed Longclaw, and charged towards the faceless assassin.

As soon as Jon was close enough he swung his sword at the assassin, who was forced to leap backwards agilely off the bed.

The assassin set her sights on Jon next. She reached into her outfit, pulled out a second knife, and then threw a knife at Jon that was quickly followed by the other knife.

_Seven hells!_ Jon instinctively tried to use his sword to block the attack. Luckily, he was able to block the first knife with his sword. The other knife, however, he missed entirely, and it embedded itself in Jon’s shoulder. “Ow!”

“Jon!” Daenerys got out of bed and started to walk carefully in the direction she’d heard Jon’s exclamation of pain come from. If they were going to die - they were going to die together.

“Stay back, Dany!” Jon warned.

The faceless assassin returned her attention to Daenerys, and took out two new knives. The assassin threw them Daenerys’s way.

_Shit!_ Jon grabbed Daenerys, and spun her around so that his body was shielding her from the attack. He hadn’t bothered to try and use his sword because there was just no way he had the skill to block those fast, wicked throwing knives as they flew through the air towards them.

The knives embedded themselves into Jon’s back. Jon let out a grunt of pain, and sank to his knees with his arms still wrapped around Daenerys protectively.

“Jon!” Daenerys’s voice was laced with concern.

Jon smiled grimly. “Are you alright, My Queen?”

“I’m fine. But you…?” Daenerys started to ask.

“If I die…you’ll be first-in-line to the throne again. Would that make you happy?” Jon couldn’t help but ask.

“No!” Daenerys quickly denied. “Don’t die, Jon!”

The faceless assassin whipped out two more knives. “You’re _both_ going to die since that’s what _WE_ were paid to do. A dragon egg paid for the death of the last two Targaryens in this world. A fitting and ironic end. Don’t you think? Now, die!”

The assassin threw the knives at Jon and Daenerys. This time aiming for their heads.

Jon shut his eyes and waited for the pain…that never came. _What the?_

Instead, the sound of steel clashing against steel twice reached Jon and Daenerys’s ears. Jon opened his eyes to see Arya standing in front of him with her Valyrian dagger raised before her, a confident expression on her face.

Stunned, Jon realized that Arya must have actually blocked the throwing knives using her dagger. _Incredible._ His little sister was highly skilled. “Arya!” Jon said.

Arya’s expression turned stony as she eyed the assassin’s blank face. “A Faceless Man…or I suppose I should say Faceless Woman, in this case.”

“Arya, you know what that _thing_ is?” Jon demanded.

“Of course, I do,” Arya smirked. “No one.”

Jon frowned. “Arya, this is no time for jokes!”

“I’m not joking. That woman is a member of the Assassins’ Guild. I trained with The Guild at the House of Black and White at Braavos. I didn’t graduate, however, and so I never truly became no one like this woman here.”

“Arya Stark…” the assassin said, her voice dripping with venom. “Stay out of my way. You are _not_ my target. I wasn’t paid to kill you.”

“Too bad. Because you’re going to have to get through me first if you want to get to them,” Arya announced.

The assassin took out another knife, and got into a fighting stance. “So be it.” The faceless woman attacked. Arya rushed forward and met her, and their weapons clashed.

Jon watched Arya fighting the faceless assassin in awe. They were so fast he could barely follow their movements with his eyes.

And Jon couldn’t help but note that their movements were similar. They were completely in sync. It was like watching a beautiful, graceful dance, but with life on the line.

The faceless assassin executed a couple of backflips to put some distance between herself and Arya then took out two knives and threw them Arya’s way.

Arya used her dagger to block the attacks, and then quickly threw her own dagger at the faceless woman in retaliation.

The assassin tried to grab another knife to use it to defend herself with, but it was too late. Arya’s dagger imbedded itself in the area that would have been right between the woman’s eyes if she’d had a face. Arya walked over and stared down at the faceless woman coldly.

“I see now why the Many-Faced God had such high hopes for you, Arya Stark…” the woman began to speak and her lips started to appear. “And yet you betrayed _US_. Betrayed _HIM_. Your brother betrayed _HIM_ too…damn you…damn you both…”

As the faceless woman died and her magic left her body her face returned to normal to reveal the original face that she’d been born with. Just a plain, homely face.

Jon approached Arya’s side and looked down at the now dead assassin. “She has a face now. Who is the Many-Faced God?”

“Death,” Arya said simply.

Jon shuddered at Arya’s simple answer. _Death?_ He’d betrayed Death? But how? By saving the lives of tens of thousands of people? His mind supplied the answer. He’d cheated Death. _Oh shit._ Jon gulped.

“I’d better get back to my room before someone realizes I’m missing,” Arya said. Jon nodded his agreement. Arya exited the bedroom, and ran down the hall.

“I didn’t know your sister Arya was in King’s Landing…” Daenerys said with a small, thoughtful frown on her face. “Tyrion said she was at Winterfell.”

Jon sighed. “She…isn’t. Just…keep it a secret for now, okay? I’ll explain everything when the time is right.”

Daenerys bristled with irritation but relented. “Alright.”

Jon reached up to pull the knife out of his shoulder first, then tossed it aside. It clattered to the floor. Next Jon removed the knives from his back in a similar manner.

“You’re hurt…” Daenerys said softly as she listened to the sound of the knives clattering to the stone floor. “I wish I could tend to your wounds, but I can’t see them…” Daenerys frowned. She hated feeling so helpless. The man she loved was injured and she could do nothing.

“Don’t worry. I’m used to tending to these kinds of wounds myself,” Jon assured as he began to strip off his shirt. He walked over to a table with a white, porcelain basin and pitcher sitting on it. He poured clean water into the basin, found a towel, and started to clean his wounds. After Jon had cleaned and bandaged his wounds, he turned to Daenerys. “I should probably go find a guard to get rid of this body…”

Daenerys followed the sound of Jon’s voice and then reached out until she was touching his arm. “No. Please…don’t leave me alone, Jon…in this darkness…”

Jon shot Daenerys a surprised look and his expression turned smug. He wrapped his arms around Daenerys in a protective and possessive hug. “Never,” he said firmly.

***

Arya was just smoothing out the wrinkles in Cersei’s gown when a faceless man suddenly appeared in her bedroom, and knelt before her. “Your Grace. I have come to make my report.”

With a casual air, Arya walked over to pour herself a goblet of wine. “Well, get on with it,” she said in a haughty tone.

“We failed to kill our targets, and we ask your forgiveness for the delay. We will not fail next time,” the assassin promised.

Arya took a thoughtful sip of wine. She decided to play along and see how much more information she could get out of this faceless assassin. “I am incredibly displeased. Especially after all the gold I paid you…”

“Gold?” The Faceless Man looked up at her. “Don’t you mean the dragon egg that Euron Greyjoy gifted you with after you gave him the joyous news that you were pregnant with his child?”

“Yes, of course, _that_ dragon egg…” Arya quickly agreed. “That’s what I meant. Didn’t its shell have a golden color?”

The Faceless Man stood up and waved a hand over his face until he looked like Jaqen H’ghar. His eyes twinkled with knowing. “A girl is not a very good actress.” Jaqen flashed her a charming smile full of bright, white teeth.

“Shit! Jaqen…?” Arya said, taking in his familiar appearance. Jaqen H’ghar was still as handsome as ever with his coppery, shoulder-length hair that had a single stripe of white. His features were regal, and his eyes a dark blue. His face…was one of her favorites. “How can you be here all the way in Westeros?”

“It is time a girl learned the truth about the Faceless Men, and about who Jaqen H’ghar really is. If a girl had truly become no one…your mind would have become a part of a collective network of minds,” Jaqen started to explain.

Arya frowned in befuddlement. “Collective network of minds?”

“Picture a beehive,” Jaqen suggested helpfully. “You can describe the Faceless Men as a ‘hive mind’. Now tell me…who rules all the bees in a hive, girl?”

“The Queen bee?” Arya asked.

“Exactly. I, Jaqen H’ghar, am special. I am that ‘Queen bee’. For my unyielding loyalty Death awarded me with the ability to connect my mind with any of the minds of the Faceless Men. In this manner, I can take their mind and body over. Unlike them, I receive my orders directly from Death. I pass on those orders to the others.”

“That still doesn’t explain how you suddenly appeared _here_ ,” Arya pointed out.

“I’ve ordered the Faceless Men to let me know when they encounter _you_ and so here I am. All they have to do is think your name ‘Arya Stark’ and I can travel to the Faceless Man who has encountered you, and possess their body. The other Faceless Men are different from me. The Faceless Men are of one mind, one purpose. They truly are no one. Death’s loyal disciples.”

“So this isn’t your real body? This man thought the name ‘Arya Stark’ and you came all the way to Westeros to speak with me?” An amused smile curled Arya’s lips. “You seem a little obsessed with me, Jaqen. All this…just because you wanted me to become one of your bees?”

“The Many-Faced God was right about you after all,” Jaqen began. “I myself was skeptical, but you truly were destined to kill Cersei Lannister and wear her face. Only, you were supposed to be one of us when that happened. Had you graduated from your training at the House of Black and White…you would have truly become no one. Death’s avatar.”

“Fuck destiny. I just wanted this bitch to die,” Arya argued.

“And Death wanted to be seated on the Iron Throne,” Jaqen countered.

Arya’s eyes widened at this startling revelation.

“Oh, yes, Death has been playing the Game of Thrones too,” Jaqen revealed. “The Many-Faced God played the game in Valyria four hundred years ago, and won.”

“You’re talking about The Doom of Valyria,” Arya said, her brown eyes glittering with curiosity.

“Surely, you wouldn’t want a similar fate to befall King’s Landing? Or all of Westeros? It’s not too late to stop the same fate from befalling King’s Landing, girl. Become one of us, become no one, and remain Cersei Lannister. Let Death sit on the Iron Throne, and he will be appeased. Oh, and you’ll have to kill Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen.”

A chill crawled up Arya’s spine at Jaqen’s words. “Death wants Jon? But, why?”

“ _WE_ know what your brother the Green Seer, Jon, did. He changed the future. He cheated Death of tens of thousands of lives.” Jaqen shook his head and put his hands out beforeh him in a helpless gesture. “Did you really think that would be forgiven or forgotten? Your brother cheated Death.”

Arya’s head was spinning with all this new information. Death was playing the Game of Thrones? He wanted to win? If she refused Jaqen - if she didn’t kill Jon and Dany and become no one…King’s Landing was in danger of meeting a similar fate to Valyria?

_What should I do?_ Arya questioned herself as she began to weigh the lives of tens of thousands of people against the lives of Jon and Daenerys. _My family comes first. Jon comes first. He killed the woman he loved for us in that possible future. I owe him one._ A determined expression settled over Arya’s face. “I won’t kill Jon or Dany. And I’ll never become no one.”

Jaqen let out a sad, disappointed sigh. “Then you have doomed Westeros and sealed your fate. Death will not be pleased. A girl must die.”

Arya whipped out her dagger and got into a fighting stance. “I’m not ‘a girl’. I am Arya Stark…of House Stark and Jon’s Snow’s sister! Hah!”

Jaqen whipped out a knife and attacked Arya with it. Arya blocked his attack with her dagger, and her Valyrian steel dagger cut through Jaqen’s knife like a hot knife through butter. Arya kept slashing her dagger through the air, and slit Jaqen’s throat.

Jaqen sank to his knees and blood dribbled down his neck. “This isn’t my original body so I’ll be seeing a girl again soon. The Doom is coming.” The Faceless Man’s body crumpled to the floor and Arya watched as the man’s face changed from Jaqen’s and to the face he’d been born with originally.

Arya frowned down at the man’s unfamiliar face. It was one she’d never seen before. She wondered where the real Jaqen H’ghar’s body was. Somewhere in Westeros or in Braavos?

It was strange finding out that Jaqen was the ‘Queen bee’ of the Faceless Men. _I suppose, he’s like Death’s Commander._ Arya thought to herself. She’d always thought Jaqen seemed different from the other Faceless Men. His personality had merely appeared to be more powerful, but he was simply different from the other Faceless Men who were of one mind, one purpose.

Arya looked down at the dead body. Now they had two dead bodies - one female, one male…

_I think the time to say goodbye to Cersei’s face has come. It’s too dangerous to keep her ‘alive’ now that the Faceless Men are involved anyways. I’ll put Cersei’s face on the dead female assassin, dress her in Cersei’s clothes, and blame Cersei’s death on this Braavosi assassin._ Arya smiled at her devious plan.

I’d better go back to Daenerys’s room and have Jon bring the body here before he calls the guards to dispose of it.

When Arya reached Daenerys’s room and explained her plan to Jon and Dany, her eyes were drawn to the tapestry hanging on Daenerys’s wall, and her eyes widened. _The Doom of Valyria!_ Arya gulped. What had Jaqen meant that The Doom was coming?

To be continued in…Chapter 6: Devil's Masquerade 

Author’s Note: A huge thank you for all the people who left Kudos on this work! I live for Kudos! I’m so glad you’re enjoying this. Originally, I planned to just write a couple of chapters of mostly smut to wrap things up…but a plot has come up out of nowhere! So get ready for an adventure too!

 

 


	6. Devil's Masquerade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon is crowned King of the Six Kingdoms. An old flame of Dany's arrives at the ball to stir things up.

Disclaimer: I do not own Game of Thrones or a Song of Ice and Fire.

 

Chapter 6: Devil’s Masquerade

 

It was the day of Jon’s coronation.

All the noble lords and ladies of Westeros and a few specially invited guests filled the throne room of the Red Keep. Daenerys was standing on the stone balcony, which overlooked the throne room. To her right stood Sansa, and to her left stood Arya, who was now wearing her own face. Daenerys was able to pinpoint Sansa’s location due to her floral perfume. Arya smelled like steel and fire. No wonder the petite girl had managed to slay the Night King.

Daenerys breathed in deep and caught another scent. One of grass and sandalwood and knew The Hound was also close by. Daenerys fingers clenched and unclenched at her sides. The Hound had killed her precious friend and commander Greyworm. But she had to let it go. She’d fought…and lost.

Daenerys had no idea how she looked, and self-consciously smoothed her hands down over the material of the gown she was wearing. Sansa had helped her to dress for the occasion, and had described her gown as being a blood-red color with the pattern of black dragons on it. It had been specially made.

Everyone else had been told to wear black, white and gold. And masks.

The masks had been Sansa’s idea.

The mask Daenerys was wearing was a black domino mask with dragon horns, and red accents. The mask had no eyeholes, and this hid her blindness.

Sansa thought it for the best that they hid Dany’s blindness from the public for as long as possible. Especially, after the assassination attempt by the Faceless Men.

After Jon’s coronation the ball would begin, and the lords and ladies would dance, celebrate, drink wine, and eat.

As Daenerys leaned slightly over the balcony and breathed in, the scent of flowery perfume that the ladies were wearing hit her senses. This was followed by the wonderful aroma of chocolate coming from the direction of the buffet tables that had been set up on the edges of the throne room.

Daenerys wished she could see how the throne room had been decorated for the occasion as well as the fabulous gowns the ladies of Westeros were wearing.

Sansa had helpfully mentioned to her that in attendance were: Robin Arryn, a representative from Dorne, Yara, Bran, Brynden Tully, Davos, Gendry, Samwell Tarley, Tyrion, Bronn, and Kinvara.

All these important people were waiting for Jon’s arrival. Then the double doors to the throne room were opened and Jon stepped inside and started to make his way down the center aisle towards the Iron Throne, which had been brought back from Dragonstone for the coronation.

A few people gasped, and Daenerys grew concerned. “What is it?” she asked in Sansa’s general direction.

Sansa smirked. “Jon is dressed in a black suit with the red emblem of House Targaryen on it. He’s also wearing a dragon mask that looks a little similar to yours. Although his is red with black accents and its horns are larger. More dramatic. He looks very handsome and very dangerous.”

Daenerys could imagine what Jon probably looked like and this thought brought a proud smile to her lips. Leave it to Sansa to make political moves using clothing. With Jon and Daenerys both wearing the colors of House Targaryen it presented the people with a united front.

Jon approached the Iron Throne and stood before it. A newly appointed High Septon approached Jon holding a crown. He began to speak. “…May the warrior grant him courage and protect him in these perilous times. May the Smith grant him strength that he might bear this heavy burden. May the Crone, she who knows the fate of all men show him the path he must walk and guide him through the dark places that lie ahead. In the light of the Seven I now proclaim Aegon of Houses Targaryen and Stark, Sixth of his name, King of the Andals and the First Men, Lord of the Six Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm.” The priest placed the crown on Jon’s head and smiled. “Long may he rein!”

“Long may he rein!” all those gathered inside of the throne room called back with great enthusiasm.

Daenerys couldn’t see it, but she could sense the smiles on their faces. She couldn’t help but feel bitter at their response. _I don’t have love here. Only fear._ She recalled her earlier words to Jon.

Sansa grabbed Daenerys’s hand. “Come on, the ball is about to start!” A lively tune reached Daenerys ears as a band of minstrels started to play drums, lutes, tambourines, and a woman started to sing. “You and Jon have the first dance,” Sansa continued in an airy tone.

“Wait. W-What?” Daenerys squeaked out. “I don’t know how to dance. And I…I can’t see, remember?” She hissed the last.

“Don’t worry. It will be fine. Jon has it covered,” Sansa assured with a mischievous note to her voice as she guided Daenerys down the stairs and to the throne room. She then started to guide Daenerys down the center aisle over the red rub runner and to Jon’s side.

Jon greeted her with a gallant bow she didn’t get to see. “My Queen, would you please do me the honor of a dance?”

Daenerys tentatively reached her hand out into the darkness, and Jon’s warm, calloused hand wrapped around her own comfortingly.

Jon pulled her closer and spoke into Daenerys’s ear. “Do you trust me?”

Daenerys shivered as his breath tickled her ear. “I trust you.” She could hear the smile in his voice.

“Good. Just follow my lead.” Jon started to guide Daenerys forward, out onto the center of the dance floor.

Daenerys swallowed a lump of fear. She was incredibly nervous and her palms were starting to sweat. She was certain she was about to make a fool out of herself in front of the lords of Westeros.

Jon placed his right hand to her waist and kept her right hand held in his left. Daenerys placed her free hand on Jon’s shoulder. Jon leaned forward and whispered in Dany’s ear: “Now, put your feet on my feet.”

Daenerys startled at the odd suggestion. “You _want_ me to step on your feet?”

“Yes.” Jon’s voice was low and husky.

“You’re crazy.” Daenerys shook her head. “Won’t I hurt you?”

“I’m wearing steel-toed boots, my love,” Jon said.

“You devil.” Daenerys stepped up onto Jon’s feet, and they began to dance. As Jon guided their movements Daenerys’s long, flowing skirt hid their feet, and simply made it appear to onlookers as though they were dancing normally although very close together. Soft applause greeted their romantic, intimate dancing style.  

Daenerys found herself smiling and leaning closer towards Jon. She breathed in deep, finding his cinnamon scent comforting. The lively music was wafting through the air all around them and Daenerys felt like it was almost a tangible thing to her. She’d never really paid much attention to music before, but now all of her being seemed focused on it.

Even though Daenerys couldn’t see, she didn’t feel afraid or alone when she was with Jon. She felt…loved.

Jon was a warm, comforting presence - a light shinning in the darkness. Like a single candle glowing in a dark, lonely room.

Daenerys reached up to run her fingers through his hair and realized Jon’s hair was tied into a ponytail. And she felt…? “Is that a bow?” Her discovery caused her smile to widen in amusement.

Jon flushed. “It was Sansa’s idea. She said it makes me look princely. Well, kingly now, I suppose.” He chuckled.

“I wish I could see you…” Daenerys admitted in a wistful tone.

“I’m having Sam look into where the first weirwood tree is located,” Jon immediately responded. “If it exists he’ll discover its location.”

“Really? That’s…great,” Daenerys said hesitantly. “Jon, I wonder if-”

Jon continued speaking in an oblivious manner. “We need to get your sight back. Especially with the Faceless Men running around. If it’s true and Cersei paid them to kill us with a dragon egg they’ll be back.” Jon frowned. “I’d feel better if you could at least see an attack coming. How _did_ you manage to stop that assassin last night?”

“I was awake,” Daenerys revealed. “I couldn’t sleep and I heard her inside my room. I waited until she was straddling me before I made my move. I had a vague idea of where her attack would come from and I reached out to grab her wrists. I was lucky I managed to grab them successfully.”

“That’s still impressive,” Jon complimented.

“It’ll take a lot more than a puny knife to kill me, Jon Snow,” Daenerys said in a teasing tone.

Jon stiffened in her arms and frowned. “Indeed.” Jon’s voice came out sounding rough and he swallowed a few times. “You look gorgeous, by the way. Like a true Dragon Queen.”

At that moment, Tyrion approached the dancing couple. “Forgive the interruption, my King, but Ser Davos wishes to speak with you about rebuilding the Iron Fleet.”

“Of course.” Jon nodded at Tyrion and gave Daenerys an apologetic look. “If you’ll excuse me, My Queen. I’ll leave you with Sansa.”

“Alright,” Dany agreed.

Jon guided Daenerys over to Sansa, who was sipping wine from a goblet and watching the lords and ladies dance with a longing expression on her face. Why wasn’t anyone asking her to dance? Sansa wondered. _Bunch of bloody cowards!_

“Sansa, please look after Dany,” Jon said. “I have to speak with Ser Davos about the Iron Fleet…”

Sansa reached out and took Dany’s hand. “Of course, Brother. She’s in good hands. Don’t worry. Now run along and do what Kings do.” Jon hesitated but ultimately followed Tyrion to where Ser Davos was. Sansa smiled at her brother’s obvious reluctance to leave Dany behind. “You see, I told you Jon had it covered. You make a nice couple.”

“Thank you,” Daenerys said, her voice laced with surprise.

“I think the people are accepting you too. I see a lot of them nodding and smiling in your direction, and a few have even murmured: ‘My Queen’,” Sansa informed her.

Daenerys startled. “Really?”

“Don’t sound so surprised. They love Jon…and they see how much Jon loves you so they’re bound to love you too,” Sansa explained.

“Love…” Daenerys echoed in a hopeful tone.

A male voice cleared his throat loudly to get their attention. “Er….uh…little bird, I mean, Lady Sansa…would you like to…er…?”

Daenerys’s eyes widened as she recognized The Hound’s gruff voice. Was Clegane really asking Sansa for a dance? Was _he_ the one Sansa had been referring to when they’d been discussing Sansa’s romance prospects?

“What is it, Clegane?” Sansa questioned in a haughty tone.

Daenerys smiled and pushed the dense Sansa forward in Clegane’s general direction. “She’d love to dance with you, Clegane.”

Sansa squeaked and fell into Clegane’s waiting brawny arms. “Dany! What are you doing? Clegane doesn’t want to dance with me!”

“Yes, I do,” Clegane huffed.

Sansa blushed. “Oh. But I shouldn’t leave Dany alone…”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be fine,” Dany said, offering Sansa a confident smile.

“You heard the Queen,” Clegane said with an air of impatience. “She’ll be fine Come on.”

“Oh, alright,” Sansa said as Clegane started to pull her out onto the dance floor. Her tone was grudging but she was blushing and smiling so wide her cheeks hurt.

Thus, Daenerys was left alone in the darkness. She stood very still and concentrated on listening to the sounds around her. She could hear people talking, laughing, and joking close by and breathed a little easier.

Suddenly, a small hand grasped her own. “Queen Dany, come dance with us!” a little girl requested loudly in her squeaky voice.

_Queen Dany?_ Daenerys mused. The children must have heard Jon call her that. Well, Daenerys supposed she could let it go since ‘Daenerys’ was a hard name for a child to pronounce. _And for a King too apparently._ She thought with amusement.

Another small hand grabbed her free hand, and the children began to tug Daenerys to the dance floor. Daenerys let herself be pulled along by the children. Once on the dance floor the children began to lead her through a circle dance where they were all holding hands and dancing in a circle.

Surprisingly, Daenerys found herself having fun, and she started to laugh along with the children. There was something special about a child’s enthusiasm and innocence.

However, children were easily distracted.

“Look! Cake!” “Ooo! They put out a cake!” the children cried.

Abruptly, the children let go of Dany’s hands and ran off towards the buffet table, presumably.

Dany pouted as she was left behind. If she could see she would have gone with them. She’d like a piece of cake herself. Daenerys let out a disappointed sigh and decided to head back to the outer edges of the throne room again. However, she was in the middle of the dance floor and couldn’t see. She could vaguely sense the people dancing around her but not well enough to properly avoid them.

Daenerys nibbled on her lower lip as she wondered what she should do. She decided that she had no choice but to simply try to walk forward. She was Daenerys Targaryen…surely, everyone would automatically get out of her way if they saw her approaching. She’d just have to go with that. Daenerys raised her chin, straightened her back and tentatively took her first step forward. Sadly, she immediately bumped into someone.

“Sorry, My Queen!” a man blurted out before he danced away with his partner.

Daenerys took a deep breath to gather her confidence and took another step forward. _I can do this._ She thought and took another step. She nearly tripped over someone’s foot.

“Forgive me, My Queen!” a female voice apologized this time and then faded.

The darkness was beginning to press in on Dany, and she felt dizzy. The people laughing…were they laughing at her? Dany’s breathing was starting to become irregular as she began to softly gasp for breath. She was about to have a panic attack.

Unexpectedly, a man appeared in front of her, grabbed her hands and started to brazenly twirl her across the dance floor.

“Unhand me at once, Sir!” Daenerys snapped with obvious irritation.

“Sir?” an achingly familiar voice responded and then chuckled lowly. “Since when have you ever called me ‘sir’?”

Daenerys let out a breath of relief. She recognized that playful, teasing voice. “Daario, is that you?”

Daario blinked at Daenerys, frowned, and leaned over to whisper: “You can’t see me can you?” Daenerys shook her head. “I should have come sooner. That’s a real shame, I was up all night making this costume. I look like a peacock or maybe a chicken. It’s hard to tell.”

Daenerys smiled as she tried to picture Daario wearing a suit decorated with peacock feathers. “Why are you even here? I did not send for you.”

“A little bird told me you might be in trouble, so I came here as fast as I could.” Daario reached out, and stroked Dany’s cheek in a fond manner. “Apparently, I arrived too late. I’m sorry.”

Daenerys could hear the sadness and regret in his voice and it stirred something inside of her. “It’s alright. I’m the one who ordered you to stay behind in Meereen and enforce my peace as the leader of the Second Sons. It’s not your fault.”

“No…it’s not,” Daario agreed in a dark tone that Daenerys didn’t quite understand. Daario continued speaking in a more lighthearted tone of voice: “But I’m here now, and I don’t intend to leave your side. I’ll protect you.”

“Daario, I-” Daenerys started to object.

“Let’s dance!” Daario spun Daenerys away across the dance floor.

Meanwhile…Arya was busy stuffing her face with mini quiches when a man tapped her on the shoulder. “Excuse me, milady, may I have this dance?” Arya spun to tell the man off until she realized it was Gendry and promptly choked on her mini quiche. “Gendry, is that you?”

Gendry smirked at her overreaction. “Yeah.”

“Wait…how did you know it was me?” Arya asked curiously with a tilt of her head.

“Your sister Sansa told me to look out for a girl dressed in a black and gold gown with a gold wolf mask on her face. And also that our outfits would match.” Gendry gave Arya a playful wink.

Gendry’s blue eyes raked appreciatively over Arya’s form. Her sister Sansa had really transformed the tomboy. Arya was wearing a gold gown with a black wolf on it that was low-cut, and showed off her cleavage. The gown was tight around her thin waist. The dressed was also strangely sleeveless and Arya was wearing gloves. The skirt of her gown had slits up each side for ease of movement. Gendry wondered in amusement if that was so that Arya could kill any Night Kings that might pop up to steal those mini quiches.

Arya found herself checking out Gendry. She’d only ever seen him in black leather and now he was dressed in a black suit with a gold wolf on it. He was wearing a black wolf mask with gold accents. Arya’s lip twitched in amusement. “Shouldn’t your suit have a _stag_ on it?”

Gendry’s blue eyes twinkled mischievously, and he smirked. “A stag can’t fuck a wolf.”

Arya slapped his arm at his lewd comment. “Who says a wolf gets to fuck a wolf? Maybe the she-wolf doesn’t like the wolf that’s courting her, hmm?”

Gendry chuckled deeply. “Well, can a lonely wolf get to dance with a she-wolf at least?” He widened his eyes and gave her a hopeful look.

Arya grudgingly agreed. “Alright. You’d better not step on my feet though. I’m wearing silk shoes. _Silk!_ ”

“ _Me_ step on _your_ shoes?” Gendry asked, aghast. “You’re the one who’s probably going to step on _my_ feet-”

Arya brought her foot down as hard as she could on Gendry’s foot for that comment. She felt it was both ironic _and_ fitting.

“Ow! You’re always so _violent_!” Gendry complained with tears in his eyes.

Arya grabbed Gendry’s wrist and started to impatiently tug him out onto the dance floor. “Come on.” Arya and Gendry moved into position and started to dance. “You see, I _can_ dance. My mother taught me. I can see you can dance too. Who taught you?”

“Well, while you were off on your adventure to King’s Landing with out me…” Gendry began in an abashed tone. “I was taking dancing lessons from my new dancing instructor back at my new estate.”

“You’re kidding?” Arya’s eyes were wide. “Why in the Seven Hells?”

“A lord needs to know how to dance if he is to marry a lady,” Gendry said simply.

“Oh? Have any noble ladies in mind?” Arya asked in a casual tone.

“Just one,” Gendry said, an impish twinkle in his eye. “But she’s…difficult. Beautiful. Strong. Tough. Stubborn.”

“Sounds like a real pain in the arse,” Arya said dryly.

“Well, she makes up for it in other areas,” Gendry began, trying to keep a straight face. “She’s pretty. And a cat in the sack. She… _bites_.”

Arya blushed at Gendry’s teasing. She may have gotten a _little_ carried away during their one night together. But she thought she was going to die trying to kill the Night King for sure! “Gendry…I…”

Gendry interrupted her, placing a finger to Arya’s lips. “Listen, Arya, I don’t want any lady. I want you. Please reconsider marrying me.”

Arya frowned and shoved his hand away from her face. “Gendry, I already told you…that life is not for me.”

“What life?” Gendry asked, letting out a frustrated huff.

Arya sighed. “Being a lord’s lady. Having his children. Taking care of his children and raising them. Staying at home. Making his castle look nice. Making sure the cooks in the kitchen know what they’re doing. Looking pretty in fine silk dresses. I’m not a lady. I never have been. That’s not me. This is the first time I’ve worn a dress since my father died.”

A determined expression settled over Gendry’s face. “We don’t have to have children right away. We can wait.”

Arya gave Gendry a skeptical look. “You do realize what waiting to have children means…we can’t have sex.”

Gendry flushed. “I realize that.”

Arya arched an eyebrow at the blacksmith. “And you’d be _okay_ with that?”

“With waiting for you to be ready? Yes,” Gendry said firmly. “We’re young. We don’t have to start a family right _now_. I’m sure eventually even you will come to a point where you’ll decide you want children so they could look after us as we grow older.”

“That…could be _years_ from now,” Arya said honestly.

“I’m willing to wait years for you,” Gendry countered. “There is only one Arya Stark, Slayer of the Night King. You’re an amazing person.”

Arya blushed. “Gendry, there’s still so much you don’t know about me. So much _darkness_.” She couldn’t help but think about the two Faceless Men she’d recently killed.

“I know. I’ve sensed it within you…” Gendry said. “But it doesn’t scare me. Like a moth to the flame I’m drawn to it.”

“You do realize what happens to the moth once it reaches the flame, right?” Arya said and shook her head. “I want to go on more adventures.”

“Then let me come with you. Please. I won’t hold you back. I’m pretty good with a hammer…just ask Jon and Ser Davos,” Gendry suggested with a hopeful look on his face. “Let me be your wings, not your cage.”

Arya gave him a searching look. “And you have no interest in the Iron Throne?”

Gendry shook his head. “Gods, no, I see what it does to people. No thanks. Between you and me…” He leaned forward and spoke in a low tone. “I think that bloody thing is cursed! So…can I go on an adventure with you?”

“I’ll think about it,” Arya said casually.

A happy Gendry kissed Arya on the mouth, but quickly pulled back. “Oh…sorry! Wait, we can still kiss, right? I mean, kissing won’t get you pregnant, right? So….?”

“Seven hells!” Arya laughed. “Kissing doesn’t get a girl pregnant, Gendry!” She wrapped her arms around Gendry’s neck and kissed him passionately.

***

Sansa was very surprised Clegane was actually a pretty good dancer. His movements were smooth and graceful, and he didn’t step on her feet. Her surprise must have shown in her expression, however…

“Don’t look so surprised, Little Bird, before I became Joffrey’s bodyguard I was a pampered little lord,” Clegane began. “Even with my scarred face…” Clegane unconsciously raised his hand to touch the half-mask that was on his face. “I was taught how to dance in case my father managed to make an arranged marriage to a nice young lady.”

Sansa snorted. “You married to a nice young lady.” She shook her head. “I can’t picture that.”

“Oh? What kind of woman do you picture me with?” Clegane asked in a teasing tone.

Sansa grew thoughtful. “A big, strong woman…like Brienne.”

Clegane cringed at the suggestion. “Brienne…is no lady. She scares me. I’d rather be sent to the wall…”

Sansa smacked his arm. “That’s not nice. Brienne is…great. I wish I had even an ounce of her strength.”

“But you _are_ strong.” Clegane reached out and touched a stray lock of Sansa’s fiery red hair. “You have a different kind of strength. One that reminds me of your mother…”

Sansa blushed at his kind words. “Thank you.” A dark shadow fell over Sansa’s face. “If I had been stronger then…” She trailed off.

“Then what?” Clegane prodded.

Sansa looked Clegane in his visible eye unflinchingly. “I would have killed Ramsay Bolton sooner.”

“He hurt you? Even though the two of you were married?” Clegane demanded fiercely.

Sansa gave The Hound a stiff nod. “Yes. He hurt me.”

“If Ramsay were still alive I’d kill him for you…slowly and painfully,” Clegane growled out, his words dripping with menacing intent.

Sansa startled in surprise at her fervent tone. “Why do you care?” She tilted her head as she regarded him curiously.

Clegane’s murderous expression turned serious. “You were a young, innocent woman…if your father had been alive such injustice never would have befallen you. A daughter without her father, alone in this world, gets eaten by the wolves.” His voice was tinged with sadness.

“But I didn’t get eaten,” Sansa challenged. “I became a wolf instead. You just don’t like bad things happening to young, innocent women. Is that it? How noble of you. Remind me again why you never became a knight?”

“When I was just a lad…I wanted to be a noble knight. But the day my brother became a knight was the day those dreams burned in the flames,” Clegane said passionately. “And as for not wanting things to happen to young ladies…I never wanted it to happen to you. I was always worried Joffrey would order me to hurt you for his entertainment because I knew that day I’d have to kill Joffrey instead.”

“But why?” Sansa blurted out in confusion. “I was nothing to you. Just a scared little bird in a gilded cage.”

“You weren’t an ordinary bird. You were a _beautiful_ one. And you kept your kindness and innocence in the midst of witnessing such horror. I’ll never forget when you said to me ‘you won’t hurt me’. Even then you still believed that there was good in people. You believed that there was good in me. I knew you’d get free one day, take flight, and leave us all behind. And you have. You’re free. You’re soaring. Soon you’ll be Queen of the North. I never had any doubt you’d eventually have a crown on your head, little wolf.” Clegane finished with a proud note to his voice.  

“You think I’m beautiful?” Sansa asked breathlessly.

Clegane gaped at her. “I say all that and that’s what you pick up on? Of course you’re bloody beautiful…” Clegane rubbed the back of his neck. “All the men in here are watching you with longing. They don’t have the balls to ask you to dance though. They know what you did to your previous husband after all. They’re afraid of you.” The Hound couldn’t stop the dark chuckle that slipped past his lips.

“And you’re not afraid of me?” Sansa asked with a glint in her blue eyes.

“No. I’m more afraid of your sister to be honest…” Clegane said honestly.

Sansa snorted. “Seven Hells! Yeah, I’m a little afraid of her too.” Sansa and The Hound smiled at each other, and Sansa started to blush again at the intensity of his stare upon her. He’d never looked at her that way before. “So…if you don’t want a woman like Brienne, who do you want? I’m sure you could have practically any lady here since you’re a war hero now.” Sansa tried to keep her tone nonchalant but held her breath as she awaited his response.

“I only want one woman…but I can’t have her,” Clegane said sadly. “She’s too good for me.”

“Oh?” Sansa raised an eyebrow in irritation. “Who is she?”

Clegane gave Sansa a pointed look. “Bloody hell, girl, I’m talking about you!”

“Me…? You want _me_?” Sansa suddenly felt faint. That was the last response she’d expected. Didn’t Clegane just see her as a little girl? A little bird that needed to be protected?

Clegane misread Sansa’s shocked, dazed expression for revulsion. “Gods, I’m sorry. I never should have told you. I know you find me to be…repulsive.”

“Repulsive?” Sansa echoed. “Why?”

Clegane gave Sansa a look of sheer disbelief. “Why? My face! My scars! I’m hideous! I’m a monster,” he snarled, trembling slightly with rage or perhaps fear.

Sansa grew thoughtful. “You know…with that mask on you look handsome.”

“It’s an illusion and you know it,” Clegane grumbled. But he could feel a pleased flush creeping up his neck at Sansa’s unexpected compliment.

“You’re right. I know. But I still want you to kiss me,” Sansa declared brazenly.

Stunned, Clegane blinked back at her owlishly. “You want me to kiss you?”

“What are you waiting for - a written invitation?” Sansa said with an air of impatience.

That did it.

Clegane reached out, cupped Sansa’s cheek, and leaned over to press his lips against hers in a tender kiss.

The Hound savored the feeling of Sansa’s soft, sweet lips against his. When she returned to her senses she’d probably slap him and never let him near her again. Clegane pulled back and smiled sadly at Sansa.

Sansa looked up at Clegane and frowned. “You call _that_ a kiss? What are we four-years-old? Even Ramsay used his tongue-”

At the mention of Sansa’s ex-husband something snapped inside of The Hound and he captured Sansa’s lips again. This time more fiercely and possessively.

Sansa melted into the kiss. _Oh, yes._ This is how she imagined it would be like kissing The Hound. All-consuming. Butterflies in her stomach. Heat pooling between her legs. She’d never really and truly lusted after a man before…until now.

Clegane plunged his tongue into Sansa’s mouth and swirled his tongue around hers, making her head spin. _Wow._ He was so close she could smell his scent. Blood, sweat, steel, and yet there were also lingering smells of grass and sandalwood. _Yum._

The hand cupping her cheek was strangely gentle. Sansa could tell that he was restraining his strength as though worried he could possibly hurt her while doing something like merely kissing her. But she felt flattered he was holding himself back for her sake. _All that power beneath my fingertips, in those muscles, in that body, and it’s bending to my will. To my desires._ Sansa felt lightheaded.

Abruptly, Clegane pulled back with a repentant look on his face. “Sorry. I got carried away. You shouldn’t be seen kissing the likes of me.”

Sansa’s brow furrowed in confusion. “The likes of you? Clegane…”

Clegane let go of Sansa and stalked off, leaving Sansa feeling bereft and angry. _Men!_ She threw her hands up in the air out of frustration. _I don’t think I’ll ever truly understand them!_

***

Meanwhile, Jon was busy talking about ships with Ser Davos and Bronn. Both Jon and Davos were trying to convince Bronn, who as luck would have it was the new Master of Coin, to cough up the gold they would need to rebuild the Iron Fleet. A kingdom without a fleet was vulnerable to attack from the sea.

Unfortunately, Bronn seemed more interested in building brothels than ships. It was mind-boggling to Jon how Bronn had ended up with High Garden and the position of Master of Coin…but Jon didn’t want to risk changing too many things about that possible future he’d glimpsed since at least Daenerys was alive. That was all that really mattered.

“Oh dear, you’d better get back to your Queen before she gets stolen away by a peacock!” Ser Davos said, his voice laced with amusement.

“What?” Jon followed Davos’s line of sight and spotted Daenerys being spun across the dance floor by a tall man dressed in a flamboyant black, gold, and green suit. The man was also wearing a mask with peacock feathers on it. It should have made him look ridiculous…but the man only looked handsome and mysterious in that gaudy outfit. Jon didn’t know who he was, and yet he already felt the urge to kill him.

“Who the hell is that?” Jon asked. “Another assassin?” He stalked towards Daenerys with purposeful steps, and as soon as he was close enough put a hand on Daario’s shoulder. “Hey! Get away from her, you scoundrel!”

“Scoundrel?” Daario turned to regard Jon with an offended expression though his eyes were twinkling with mirth. “I’m hurt, Your Grace.”

“Jon, it’s okay,” Daenerys said in a placating tone. “This is Daario Naharis. My-”

“Lover,” Daario smoothly interrupted Dany and waggled his eyebrows.

“Former lover,” Daenerys quickly corrected. “He is the commander of the Second Sons. I left him in Meereen to protect my peace there and to make sure things went smoothly as power transitioned to the people. Daario, I would like you to meet Aegon Targaryen…my fiancé.”

“Don’t you mean Jon Snow? And fiancé? So the rumors are true then…you really intend to marry your _nephew_. Forgive me, but…ew.” Daario gagged mockingly, pretending to stick a finger down his throat.

Daenerys bristled. “We are the last two Targaryens in this world. The last two people that have dragon blood flowing through our veins. We’re magical.”

Daario held his hands up before him in a surrendering gesture. “So…you’re marrying him to preserve the Targaryen bloodline? But you can’t have children.”

“That’s _not_ why I’m marrying him…” Daenerys said.

“Then why?” Daario asked. “For the Iron Throne? Forget that rusted, old hunk of junk and come back with me to Meereen. I’ll build you a bigger, better throne. You’re already a Queen there. Loved by the people. You’re happier there. Safer there.”

“I…I’m not marrying Jon for the throne. I’m marrying him because I love him,” Daenerys explained.

A dopey smile formed on Jon’s face at Daenerys’s simple admission.

Daario gave Daenerys a skeptical look, however. “Uh huh. Sure. Daenerys, I _know_ you. You don’t fall in love so easily. You’re a dragon. You’ll only ever fall in love with another dragon. Not a wolf pup.

“Daario, I _do_ love Jon,” Daenerys snapped angrily. “You have to believe me.”

Daario raked a shaky hand back through his short dark hair in a frustrated gesture. “Okay. Fine. I believe you. You love him. Shit. You know…the man you love is your destiny, Daenerys,” he said in a warning tone.

Daenerys’s brow furrowed in confusion.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Jon asked defensively. “I am a King. Her destiny is to be Queen of the Six Kingdoms!” He folded his arms in front of his chest.

“Isn’t it supposed to be Seven? What happened to that? Hm?” Daario pointed out while looking at Jon like he was an insignificant worm. “You know, you’re pretty short for a Dragon Lord. Sad really.” Daario turned his attention to Daenerys. “I thought you only liked tall men, Khaleesi?”

A vein at Jon’s temple throbbed out of irritation and anger. “Who the hell does this guy think he is?” Jon’s hand went to the hilt of his sword.

Daenerys sighed. “He’s my friend, Jon. One of the last friends I have left _alive_. Please. Forgive his disrespect. He’s always like this. A joker. You can’t take him too seriously, but I trust him with my life.” Daenerys placed a hand on Jon’s arm in order to stop him from unsheathing his sword and killing Daario. She hoped she was touching the right arm.

Jon let go of his sword’s hilt, and frowns at Daario Naharis. “Fine.”

Daario grew amused as he watched Jon back down. “Someone’s on a short leash. I wonder why?”

“What is your problem?” Jon demanded.

“I just don’t like you, Short-man,” Daario said carelessly. “I don’t think you’re good enough for Daenerys.”

“Oh, and you are?” Jon scoffed.

Daario’s eyes flashed. “Maybe. If I had been here she _never_ would have gotten hurt. What the hell have you been doing? Do you even love her?”

“Of course, I love Dany,” Jon said, feeling offended. “I intend to marry her and make her my Queen!”

“She doesn’t _need_ you…” Daario said mercilessly before turning to Daenerys. “Khaleesi, you don’t need him. He’ll put you in a gilded cage. Come with me…back to Meereen. You will be free to be a dragon there. A dragon in captivity wastes away, Daenerys.”

Daenerys had to admit to herself that Daario’s offer _was_ tempting. If she weren’t pregnant with Jon’s child she would have probably even considered it. But…she _was_ pregnant with Jon’s child, and she loved Jon. She shook her head. “Daario, it is my destiny to sit upon the Iron Throne. I’ve come this far. I can’t turn back now. I’m so close to fulfilling my destiny. And I love Jon. I am to be his Queen.”

Daario looked down at Daenerys’s hand. “I don’t see a ring. I guess I still have some time to convince you to ditch short-man and return with me to Meereen.”

_A ring?_ Jon thought, feeling like an idiot. _I should have thought of that. Shit!_

Jon opened his mouth to say something along the lies of ‘She’ll never go with you back to Meereen!’ but then shut it. A lot of what Daario was saying rung true. If Daenerys went back to Meereen she’d be safer there. She’d be a Queen. She’d be free.

_A dragon in captivity wastes away, Daenerys._

Truly she’d be better off without him - the man who betrayed her in that possible future.

Sensing Jon’s distress Daenerys reached out through the darkness to place her hand on Jon’s arm again in a comforting gesture. “You won’t be able to convince me, Daario. I’m sorry, but my place is here. Beside the man I love.”

“I still have to try…” Daario said, haunting shadows swirling in his eyes. “You know that I love you.”

“But I don’t love you,” Daenerys said firmly. “You _know_ that. I’m sorry. I do care for you…but just not in the way you want me to.”

The tension between the three was so thick is could have been cut with a knife, and a heavy silence fell over the trio.

At that moment, a little girl ran up to Daenerys. “Queen Dany! You have to try these cookies. They’re delicious!” She handed Daenerys a biscuit covered with chocolate.

Daenerys took the cookie and smiled down at the little girl, in her general direction. “Thank you, sweetie.” Jon smiled at the little girl who was probably around seven-years-old. Daenerys opened her mouth and was about to eat the cookie, when-

“No!” Daario snatched the cookie out of Daenerys’s hand and gave her an angry glare. “You shouldn’t eat it. It could be poisoned.”

“She’s just a child. Not an assassin,” Jon argued, giving Daario a dubious look.

“She’s a little girl, Daario,” Daenerys agreed with Jon.

Daario sighed and scrubbed a hand down his face out of exasperation. “You two are both incredibly naïve. Girl, why don’t you eat this cookie instead?” He handed the girl the cookie.

The little girl scowled up at Daario. “How did you know?”

“Your aura of murderous intent,” Daario said flippantly. “Who sent you?”

“The Doom is coming for you all!” The little girl announced before stuffing the entire cookie into her mouth, chewing it quickly, and swallowing it.

Daenerys heard something hit the floor with a thud, and grew horrified. “What…what happened?”

“She…died,” Jon revealed, his voice thick with emotion. “The cookie _was_ poisoned. I can’t believe it. The Faceless Men are using children to kill for them now.”

“If I hadn’t been here Daenerys would be dead right now!” Daario snapped at Jon.

“You’re right,” Jon admitted and hung his head in shame. “Thank you for saving my Queen.”

Daario lowered his fist and realized he’d been raising it about to punch Jon in the face. Jon was looking at him with such a repentant expression that Daario couldn’t help but feel slightly mollified. “I’m just glad I was here. You need to be more careful. If assassins are after the two of you…they could be anyone. Literally _anyone_. A little girl…an old woman. A blind man.”

Jon nodded. “You’re right. I let my guard down just because she was a child. That was stupid. And…I’m glad you were here too.” Jon’s shoulders sagged with relief and he offered Daario a crooken smile.

Daario gaped at Jon before he had to look away. “Idiot…”

Daenerys crouched down and touched the little girl’s face. It was so small. The Faceless Men did this…recruited her. An innocent child. They were truly her enemy now.

_If I ever find a cure for my blindness…I will fly to Braavos on Drogon and destroy the House of Black and White. I’ll make the Faceless Men pay!_ Daenerys secretly vowed to herself.

To be continued in…Chapter 7:

Author’s Note: Wow, thank you for all the Kudos and supportive comments! You guys rock!

 


	7. Blind Love

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Game of Thrones, or a Song of Ice and Fire.

 

Chapter 7: Blind Love

 

The following day…the sun was rising and the royal library became illuminated as the sun’s rays filtered in through the tall, latticed windows. The light also illuminated a figure that’d been hunched over a book, reading straight through the night. It was Samwell Tarley.

When Sam made a discovery concerning the Children of the Forest, the First Men, and the very first weirwood trees to have faces carved onto their trunks, Sam’s sleepy, hooded eyes widened dramatically. “This must be it! I think I’ve discovered the Mother Tree! I have to tell Jon!” Sam closed the dusty tome, picked it up, and ran out of the library in search of his best friend.

Sam spotted Jon in the middle of one of the castle corridors. Jon was fast asleep and his back was leaning against the door to Daenerys’s bedroom. “Jon!” Sam called out as he ran over to his friend. “I think I’ve found it. I-! Wait, why are you sleeping out here?” Sam’s thoughts were momentarily derailed by the fact that the King of the Six Kingdoms had been sleeping on the floor last night.

Jon opened his hazel eyes, stared up at Sam, and then flinched when he realized he’d been caught. He flushed and rubbed the back of his head in an embarrassed fashion. “No reason. More importantly…what did you need? Gods, what time is it? It’s too early for this.”

Sam took a seat on the floor next to Jon, opened up the book, and began flipping through its pages until he came to the right page. Sam tapped his finger on the page in an impatient manner. “Here. Look at this…it’s the story of the Children of the Forest and the First Men. In the beginning, they were at war and the weirwood trees were being cut down. The Children of the Forest were losing the war and that’s why they decided to use their magic to create the Night King in a ritual using a weirwood tree. I think the tree they used for the ceremony is the Mother Tree.”

“The Children of the Forest created that abomination?” Jon shook his head in a disappointed fashion.

“Oh, yes. But they couldn’t control him when he became too powerful. Too evil.” Sam shuddered as he recalled the Night King. “The Children of the Forest allied with the First Men to push the Night King back beyond the wall. A peace pact was made between the Children of the Forest and the First Men on an island called the Isle of Faces. There the Children of the Forest carved faces into the trunks of the weirwood trees so that the gods could bear witness to the pact. These were the first ever faces to be carved into the weirwood trees. I believe the Mother Tree must be on that island.”

“Where is the island located?” Jon asked, covering his mouth as he tried to stifle a yawn.

“According to this book it’s south of King’s Landing - in the center of a lake called the God’s Eye. It’s about a ten days ride from here,” Sam explained.

Jon grinned at Sam and slapped his back. “You did it, Sam! I knew I could count on you.”

A shy, pleased smile formed on Sam’s face. “Ah, well, reading books is about the only thing I’m good at.”

Jon’s jovial expression turned serious. “That’s not true. You slew a White Walker. Discovered a way to defeat the wights. Won the heart of a fair wildling girl.” Jon chuckled. “How are Gilly and little Sam, by the way?”

“Oh, they’re good. Safe at Winterfell…” A wistful expression settled over Sam’s humble face. “I miss them, but someone should go with you on this quest.”

“You’ve done more than enough.” Jon squeezed Sam’s arm. “Go back to your family, Sam. They need you. I…I’ll do this alone.”

Sam gawked at Jon. “Alone? You can’t be serious. You’re the King now, Jon; you can’t just leave to go off on a quest! Who would be left in charge?”

“I could leave Daenerys in charge. If anything were to happen to me then she’d be first in line for the throne-” Jon was saying when the door abruptly opened, causing Jon to fall backwards. He looked up to see Daenerys glaring at him - a very impressive feat for a blind woman to accomplish. “Dany?”

“Did you really think you could leave me behind and go off on this quest to find a cure for _my_ blindness?” Daenerys’s voice was laced with fury. “I’m going with you.”

Jon gaped at Dany, slack-jawed, and sat up. “Dany, you can’t come with me. I’m sorry, but it’s much too dangerous. You’re _blind_.”

“So you think I’ll be a burden? Is that it?” Daenerys demanded with her hands on her hips. “I am the Dragon Queen. Drogon can take us directly to this island-”

“Ah, about Drogon…” Jon interrupted tentatively. “Bran told me that he’s kind of disappeared from his sight.”

“Disappeared?” Daenerys blurted. “And you only saw fit to tell me about this _now_?”

“Bran says he’s sure Drogon is alright. He _will_ return,” Jon assured.

Daenerys sighed. “Drogon always did have a will of his own. I was never fully able to control him. I’m sure he will return after he’s done doing whatever it is that he’s doing. Whatever it is, it must be important. So, we’ll go on horseback then-”

A horrified expression settled over Jon’s face. “Daenerys, we can’t just abandon King’s Landing. We’re the last two heirs for the throne…”

“There’s always Gendry Baratheon.” Daenerys pointed out.

Jon’s eyes widened. “You can’t be serious.”

“He’s just a boy and he’s young, yes. But he has a good heart. If we die…Gendry should be King of the Six Kingdoms,” Daenerys said firmly.

“No way!” came a male voice.

“Gendry! We’re supposed to be eavesdropping!” Arya’s voice chided.

Jon sighed. “Gendry. Arya. Show yourselves.”

Gendry and Arya rounded the corner and entered the corridor. Gendry had a chagrined expression on his face while Arya was smirking.

Gendry walked over and knelt before Jon and Daenerys. “Please, my King, my Queen, I have no interest in the Iron Throne. I don’t think the two of you should go on this quest, but if you’re determined to go, please, allow me to accompany you as your bodyguard. My hammer is yours. I will protect you both with my life. The Six Kingdoms _needs_ you both.”

Jon smiled down at Gendry. “Thank you, Gendry. I’d appreciate the help. I’m still against Daenerys going…since she’s blind.”

“I’ll go too,” Arya spoke up. “Gendry can be your bodyguard and I’ll be Daenerys’s bodyguard. Also, blindness…is something I’ve dealt with in the past. During my training in Braavos, I was blind for a time. I can help Daenerys learn how to cope with her blindness and teach her how to defend herself in the event we don’t find a cure. It will be good for Daenerys to know how to fight.”

“You want to teach Daenerys how to fight?” Jon blurted out in shock. “And while she’s blind? That’s…insane.” Jon was incredibly unnerved by the reckless, foolhardy suggestion.

Arya smiled sharply. “I already went through it once myself. I traveled alone through a dark tunnel and when I finally emerged into the light I was stronger.”

“Arya…” Gendry said softly.

“Daenerys can get stronger,” Arya continued in an adamant tone. “She shouldn’t have to depend on her dragon for her strength. That makes her weak. Vulnerable.”

Weak. Vulnerable. Jon shuddered as he remembered plunging his dagger into Daenerys’s heart. A part of him wanted Daenerys to remain weak and dependant on him for her safety. But…it would be better if she grew stronger and was able to defend herself against attacks. To defend herself from even _him_ if it ever came to that again. _If I let her stay weak it’s like I want to be able to kill her in case I need to. No. Arya’s right. She needs to get stronger._

Jon let out a resigned sigh, and raked a hand back through his wavy, black hair. “Alright, fine. If Daenerys agrees…you can train her to fight on our way to the God’s Eye Lake and the Isle of Faces.”

Daenerys was surprised, pleased, and thankful to Arya. “Arya, do you really think I can learn how to fight in my current condition?”

“If I could do it…you can,” Arya said. “ _You’re_ the Dragon Queen.” She smirked.

Daenerys smiled in Arya’s general direction. “I’ll try my best.”

“We’ll have to start your training as soon as possible since those Faceless Assassins are after you and Jon,” Arya remarked casually.

Gendry startled out of bewilderment. “Faceless Assassins? What are you talking about?”

“It’s a long story…” Arya began. “I’ll tell you all about it on the way to the God’s Eye. Suffice it to say people will be coming after us to kill Jon and Daenerys.”

“Wonderful,” Gendry said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “There’s never a dull moment with you people.”

Jon looked at Daenerys, Arya and Gendry, and smiled widely. “I think this team will be able to handle anything.”

“Who will we leave in charge?” Daenerys asked.

Jon stroked his chin in thought. “I’ll leave Sansa in charge. She’s proven herself at being a good leader. King’s Landing will be safe in her hands.” All nodded in agreement. “Besides, she’ll have Bran here to help her make political decisions, and the Hound to protect her. As soon as I’ve spoken to her and Bran, and made the royal decree to leave Sansa in charge we’ll make preparations to depart on our quest.” All nodded their assent.

***

Later that day, Jon spoke to Sansa about leaving her in charge of King’s Landing, and then he made a royal decree that until his return his sister Sansa would rule the six Kingdoms in his stead.

Technically, she’d be ruling the North at the same time. Although the north men hadn’t officially named her their queen yet. But Jon knew it was only a matter of time if his vision of the future was anything to go on.

Preparations were made for their upcoming journey - ten days worth of food and supplies were stored into saddlebags. Four horses were soon tacked up and ready to depart.

Sansa gifted Daenerys with a silver domino mask with no eyeholes in order to hide her blindness. It was unwise to reveal such a weakness on the road while traveling. Bandits would think Daenerys was easy prey.

In order not to draw too much attention, Daenerys and Jon also decided to forgo wearing the red and black colors of House Targaryen. The colors were way too distinctive.

Jon was dressed in black leather from head to toe and felt like a Crow again. Sansa had dressed Daenerys in a white button down shirt, brown leather vest, brown leather pants and matching boots. Gendry was dressed in black leather, and Arya was wearing a combination of black and brown leather.

This was the first time Daenerys had ever worn pants…let alone _leather_ pants. She felt a little ‘shameless’. It was inappropriate for a _lady_ to wear pants after all. Although Daenerys felt a little better about it when Sansa told her that Arya was wearing pants too.

Jon put his hands on Daenerys’s waist, picked her up, and set her down on her horse’s saddle. Being on a horse again felt like ‘coming home’, and Daenerys’s thoughts couldn’t help but stray to Khal Drogo and her dead son.

She recalled the vision she’d had about being in the throne room at the Red Keep. The roof had been blown off and snow was falling on everything. She’d walked out into the snow and found Khal Drogo and her son in a tent, waiting for her.

Falling snow…Jon Snow…

_I always thought it’d been a vision that Jon Snow would ultimately betray me. I never wanted to believe it, but it was always in the back of my mind. When will Jon betray me? Will it be today? And yet…here Jon is riding beside me to find a cure for my blindness. He’s being so kind to me…_

_Too kind._

_But why? Tyrion assured me Jon doesn’t know about my magical pregnancy. It’s almost like he feels guilty for something he did, but what could it be? I told him that I forgive him about the Dothraki, Unsullied and Greyworm. What is bothering Jon? I must find out._

Jon, Daenerys, Gendry and Arya started to head out, riding south along the road that would take them to the God’s Eye Lake. The clomping sound of a galloping horse approaching their party had them all glancing over their shoulders to see who was approaching them from behind.

Someone rode up beside Daenerys, and then she smelled a flowery scent as someone held a flower up under her nose. Its scent was familiar. “Daario, how did you find us?”

Daario smirked at Daenerys. “Did you really think you could go off on a quest and leave your poor Daario behind? I told you…I’m here now. I’m going to protect you. Wherever it is you’re going, you’ll need my arakh!” Daario unsheathed his scythe-like weapon and held it high above his head.

“Daario…” Daenerys started.

“Absolutely not,” Jon cut in. “You’re not coming. We don’t need you. This is a serious mission. We don’t have time for games and distractions.”

Daario placed a hand over his heart in an offended gesture and let his jaw hang open in shock. “I can be serious when the occasion calls for it. And you do need me. The Faceless Assassins are still after you both. And you’re both too naïve and too trusting for your own good. Don’t forget the Faceless Men can be anyone.”

Arya rode over to Daario, and put a dagger to his throat. “An excellent point. How do we know a Faceless Man didn’t already kill you and take your face?” she demanded.

Daario blinked. “Uh…? If Daenerys would allow me to show her that my prowess in the bedchamber has not changed, I-” Arya smacked Daario upside the head. “Ow!” Daario complained, rubbing the back of his head.

“Think of something else to prove you’re the real Daario, idiot, before I point my dagger somewhere else,” Arya warned, letting her gaze fall to Daario’s crotch.

Daenerys sighed. “Daario, what are the names of the three flowers you gifted me with in Meereen?” Daario listed the names of the flowers quickly. “What is your favorite weapon?” Daenerys asked, just to be extra certain.

Daario whipped out his knife that had a naked woman on its hilt. “She’s my love.” He kissed the knife’s hilt.

“It’s him,” Daenerys said firmly, listening to the smooching sound of Daario kissing his knife. “He’s the real Daario.”

“Still don’t want me to prove it through more intimate means, Khaleesi?” He waggled his eyebrows at her.

“He’s waggling his eyebrows at me, isn’t he?” Daenerys said dryly.

“Yes, he is. It’s quite disturbing,” Arya said with a grimace. “Shall I castrate him for you, my Queen?”

“Arya!” Jon, Gendry and Daario objected.

“How about a kiss at least, Daenerys?” Daario said, pushing his luck. “I should be able to prove my identity with my flawless technique.”

“That’s not necessary, Daario. I know it’s you. No one else could be this irritating.” Daenerys smirked in amusement.

“Oh, how you wound me, my love!” Daario moaned dramatically.

Jon’s eye twitched in irritation. My love?

Gendry started to chuckle. “Who the hell is this guy? He’s hilarious. Is he a traveling clown?”

“Yes,” Jon deadpanned.

“No!” Daario swiftly refuted. “I am not a clown. I’m a master swordsman. Undefeated. And I’m pretty deadly with an arakh too,” he began smugly. “I also happen to be the Commander of the Second Sons - a deadly group of sell-swords and mercenaries that keep the peace in Meereen and are loyal to Daenerys. I’m also Daenerys’s former lover and soon to be rekindled flame.”

“Former lover?” Gendry shot Jon a worried look. “Oh, I get it now. Why did you come here all the way from Meereen though?”

“A little bird told me that Daenerys needed my help,” Daario said casually.

Jon stiffened and a nervous look flitted across his face. “What? You mean you received a raven from the Red Keep? From whom?”

A slow smile spread across Daario’s face. “Oh? Why are you assuming it came from the Red Keep? Interesting. And I think you already know…”

Jon paled. Cersei. Cersei must have sent Daario a raven. How much did Cersei tell Daario, however? Shit. This was not good. Why had he been stupid enough to tell Cersei the vision of the future he’d had? He was such an idiot. Jon felt like finding a tree and banging his head against it for a few hours.

Arya’s eyes narrowed at Daario. Who sent a raven to Daario? Cersei? What did the note contain? Shit. Arya had been there in the god’s wood when Jon had his vision of the future and told Bran about it. She knew everything, and how in that possible future Jon had killed Daenerys for their sake - hers and Sansa’s.

Death wouldn’t like being cheated out of Daenerys’s death. HE would come for her. But Arya would be there to stop him.

Jon was frowning at Daario while the mercenary was smiling evilly. Gendry and Daenerys were clueless about what was going on and Arya was on top of things.

Daenerys frowned suspiciously, feeling out of the loop. “What are you two talking about?”

“Nothing, my love,” Daario said smoothly. “Don’t worry your pretty little head about it.”

Daenerys bristled with irritation. Jon and Daario were keeping her in the dark about something. She could sense it.

“So where are we going?” Daario asked brightly.

“We’re going to the God’s-” Daenerys started to say.

“He doesn’t need to know,” Jon snapped, glaring at the mercenary. “I still don’t trust him.”

Daenerys sighed.

“Well then lead the way, short-man,” Daario said.

Jon grimaced. “Don’t call me that, clown.” Lightning flashed between their gazes.

Daenerys rode ahead of the two bickering men on her white horse confidently. “You two are wasting time! Let’s go!” Jon and Daario gawked after Daenerys.

Daario whistled. “Whoo. What a woman!” He kicked his horse’s sides and rode after Daenerys.

“Hey!” Jon called out in objection as he rode after Daario.

Arya and Gendry were riding side by side. Gendry was looking befuddled and his brow was furrowed in concern. “Uh, is it really a good idea to let Daenerys’s ex-lover tag along?”

“I don’t think we have much of a choice. But I’ll keep an eye on him…” Arya said, spinning her dagger through her fingers.

“We’ll keep an eye on him then,” Gendry said firmly. “I’ve got your back. I trust your judgment. Do you think he could be a danger to Daenerys?”

“No. He loves her. I’m worried about what he might do to Jon…” Arya explained.

“They are rivals for Daenerys’s heart, but that’s no reason to kill Jon,” Gendry said.

Arya raised an eyebrow at Gendry, and a dark shadow fell over her face. “Isn’t it though? Most murders are crimes of passion. People kill for money, for love, or for revenge.”

“Or to protect someone they care about, or to protect themselves,” Gendry countered, hope shinning in his gray eyes. “I made swords, but I wasn’t making weapons to kill. I was making tools to protect people with, Arya.”

Arya’s eyes flared. “Swords…tools to protect people with? Gendry, you’re too good for this world.” She shook her head in disbelief.

“Speaking of swords…” Gendry began. “What happened to your Needle?”

Arya frowned. “Ser Gregor happened.”

“I see. So…you really did kill Cersei, didn’t you?” Gendry said softly so that the others wouldn’t overhear.

“Yes. I did,” Arya admitted.

“That woman…I mean, the Cersei that I met at the Red Keep briefly was an imposter, right? Was she an actress?” Gendry asked.

“It was me,” Arya said.

“What?” Gendry asked.

“I took Cersei’s place for a little while after the seige. I borrowed her face…” Arya said.

“Borrowed her face?” Gendry frowned, and shook his head. “How is that even possible?”

Arya smiled sadly. “Magic.”

Gendry grew thoughtful. “Could you…teach me?”

Arya turned to gawk at the blacksmith. “No! I mean…I don’t think so. Even if I could the power comes from the Many-Faced God…the power comes from Death. And he requires sacrifice as payment for that power. A life for a life.”

Gendry’s eyes widened and he shuddered. “Death. The Lord of Light. The Many-Faced God.” He shook his head. “What god is on the side of life?”

Arya hummed thoughtfully. “I used to think that maybe the old gods were on the side of life, but then I saw a weirwood tree’s carved face in the House of Black and White. Apparently, the weirwood trees crave blood and sacrifice almost as much as the Lord of Light. War soaks the earth with blood and the weirwood trees grow. I also remember seeing the Lord of Light’s burning heart in the temple. The Drowned God and The Stranger both had effigies as well. And there were others. So I’m not sure.”

“Well, my god is Life,” Gendry said firmly.

“You know that would make you an enemy of Death, right?” Arya said.

A fierce look formed in Gendry’s eyes. “Exactly.”

“What does one say to the god of Death? Not today,” Arya murmured, remembering the words of her dancing teacher Syrio Forel. Arya and Gendry returned their attention to the road ahead and both laughed as they watched Jon and Daario shoving each other’s shoulders while trying to prevent the other from riding next to Daenerys.

The traveling party continued their journey south uneventfully. By the time the sun started to set they’d reached a small village. Arya rode up next to Jon. “Jon, should we risk trying to stay at an inn, or make camp in the woods nearby?”

Jon glanced at the nearby woods and frowned. Before he’d left the Red Keep Bran had spoken with him…

FLASHBACK

“Jon, before you start out on your quest there’s something important I need to tell you,” Bran began in a solemn tone.

“Speak,” Jon prompted.

“As I understand it, you’re on a quest to find the very first weirwood tree…the Mother Tree, correct?” Bran asked.

“Yeah, how did you know?” Jon asked.

Bran smirked. “I see all, remember? Anyways, there’s something you need to know about that tree…it is the source of all magic.”

“Okay…” Jon said, not really getting where Bran was going with this.

“You have a very special connection to that tree, Jon,” Bran said. “Your parents were married in its presence.”

Jon’s eyes widened at the surprising revelation. “You mean Lyanna and Rhaegar?”

Bran nodded. “Lyanna wanted the old gods to bear witness to their marriage. When Melisandre brought you back to life she used magic. Magic that came from the Mother Tree, the source of all magic.”

“What are you trying to say exactly?” Jon prodded.

“You need to be careful, Jon. If anything happens to the Mother Tree…you’ll die,” Bran revealed.

Jon staggered back a step out of shock. “I see.”

“That’s not all,” Bran said in a grim tone. “The Isle of Faces is sacred to the Children of the Forest. There is an order of men called the Green Men who are sworn to protect the island and the Mother Tree. The Green Men are the descendants of the First Men and the Children of the Forest. They have a special connection with Nature.

“That’s why I would recommend that you stay on the main road, far away from trees and animals. The trees are all connected and are very protective of the Mother Tree - the source of all magic in our world. Several Green Men are skin-changers. They can warg into animals. They’re very dangerous. You’ll be much safer on the main road. And remember don’t let anything happen to the Mother Tree. If the tree dies magic will cease to exist in our world, and the Doom will destroy us all.”

“The Doom?” Jon questioned.

A dark cloud fell over Bran’s face, and he suddenly looked several years older. “There’s only one thing that can stop The Doom and that’s a true Dragon Lord that has a special bond with his or her dragon. Daenerys and her dragon Drogon are our only hope. You must protect them at all costs.”

Jon’s eyes widened. “That’s why your future self, King Bran the Broken, decided to warg into my past self…in order to stop The Doom that must happen in the future where Daenerys doesn’t exist.”

Bran nodded.

Jon was so shocked he felt faint. So when I killed Daenerys…what I really did was doom us all. Then it was all for nothing. Shit.

“Don’t worry, Bran, I’ll protect Daenerys and the Mother Tree with my life, and we’ll stay on the main road and out of the forest…”

Bran smiled crookedly. “Good luck, Jon.”

END OF FLASHBACK

“We’ll stick to the road,” Jon told Arya. “We’ll stay at an inn tonight. Let’s go.”

The group rode into the sleepy village and started to look around for an inn. Gendry was the first to spot one. He pointed to an establishment that had a wooden sign hanging over its front door that had an angry looking octopus on it. “Look over there, the Kranky Kraken inn and tavern. That looks promising.”

Arya and Jon together: “That’s spelled wrong.”

“What is a kraken?” Daario asked, scratching his cheek with his index finger.

“It’s like a giant octopus. A monster. Like the Drowned God.” Arya waggled her fingers at Daario.

Daario shuddered. “I don’t like fish.”

“I’m sure they’ll have other things to eat besides seafood, prissy-pants,” Jon quipped.

“If I throw up…I’ll make sure to throw up on you,” Daario told Jon unkindly.

“Lovely,” Jon said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Kraken…” Daenerys murmured to herself.

“Is something wrong Daenerys?” Jon asked.

Daenerys shook her head and took on a pensive expression. “No. I was just remembering something my brother Viserys told me about a kraken…but I can’t remember what he was talking about. Only that it frightened me and that I couldn’t sleep for weeks afterwards.”

“I’ll eat anything…I’ve eaten everything. Once I had to eat a rat. Raw,” Gendry said conversationally. Arya shot Gendry a disgusted look.

Jon pat Gendry’s arm in a consoling fashion. “Some things are better left unsaid while in the presence of ladies. Delicate sensibilities and all that.”

“What? I was starving to death…” Gendry defended, a flush rising to his cheeks. “On the streets you do what you need to do in order to survive.”

Daario flashed a roguish grin at Gendry. “Hear, hear!” The mercenary slapped Gendry’s back. “I’ve eaten raw snake before.”

Arya grimaced. “Ugh. Will you two shut up. You’re going to make me lose my appetite.” Gendry and Daario chuckled.

The group rode over to the Kranky Kraken, and tethered their horses to a wooden fence outside. The first thing they noticed upon entering was the long bar that took up most of the far wall. Round tables were scattered around the room and there were a few private booths. Several patrons were seated about the place eating and drinking. It was a rough looking crowd with a lot of raised hoods.

“I’ll go ask the barkeep about the rooms available…” Gendry started, giving his traveling companions a questioning look. “So, one room for the girls and one for us men?”

“I’m not sleeping in the same room as Daario Naharis,” Jon said swiftly.

“So…three rooms then. Daario can have his own,” Gendry said in an amused tone.

Daario turned to Daenerys. “Unless you’d like to join me for a night of re-kindled passion, Khaleesi.” He reached out and stroked her arm.

“No thank you,” Daenerys said loftily.

Jon grabbed Daario’s wrist and started to bend it back. “Don’t touch her without her permission, clown,” he snarled.

“Ow, ow, ow! Okay. Fine. Can I touch you, Khaleesi?” Daario asked with a hopeful look on his face.

Daenerys smiled sweetly. “No.”

Daario pouted and hung his head in disappointment. “Well, shit…”

“Right…three rooms.” Gendry walked off with purposeful steps.

Jon and Daario spoke up at the same time. “Take my hand, Dany.” “Take my hand, Khaleesi.” The two rivals both spun to glare daggers at each other. Ah, if looks could kill.

“Seven hells. Daenerys take my hand.” Arya stepped in.

Daenerys gratefully took Arya’s hand. “Thank you, Arya.”

Arya shot Jon and Daario a smug look, and rubbed her cheek against Daenerys’s arm just to be extra annoying before leading Daenerys to one of the free tables. It was a long, rectangular wooden table with five chairs around it.

Jon scratched the back of his neck. “Huh. Never thought I’d be jealous of my own sister…”

Dany, Arya, Jon, and Daario took a seat at the table, picked up their menus, and started to look over the fare the tavern provided. “I’m going to get a chicken potpie,” Arya said, a smile quirking her lips as she remembered her baker friend.

“I shall as well. Unless they have fresh fruit…” Daenerys said.

“Rabbit stew and bread for me,” Jon said.

“Stew sounds good,” Daario said.

“On second thought, I’ll get the potpie,” Jon said, just to be contrary.

Grinning proudly, Gendry took a seat at the table. “I got us three rooms all next to each other with our meals included for only 6 Silver Stags.” Gendry’s bright expression fell as he looked at Jon and Daario glaring at each other. He sighed. “What are they fighting about now?”

“Potpie and stew, apparently,” Arya said dryly.

“Sounds good. I’ll have both,” Gendry announced in a cheeky manner. Daario and Jon gawked at Gendry causing the blacksmith to feel defensive. “What? It takes a lot of energy to swing a hammer around.”

“Such an inelegant weapon,” Daario began condescendingly. “Are you sure you know how to use it, boy?”

“Why? Would you like to find out?” Gendry asked innocently.

“Alright, play nice, boys,” Arya cut in before waving a waitress down and placing their order.

Jon gaped at Arya. “You’re going to drink ale?”

Arya raised an eyebrow at Jon. “Sure. Why not?”

“You’re not old enough,” Jon said conservatively.

“If I’m old enough to kill people…I’m old enough to drink,” Arya argued, folding her arms over her chest in an adamant pose.

“Hear, hear!” Daario agreed in a loud voice. “I like a woman who knows what she wants.” He winked at her.

“Wink at her again and you’ll lose an eye,” Gendry threatened.

“I was just about to say that.” Arya pouted. “Stop reading my mind, Gendry,” she whined.

“Sorry.” Gendry apologized, scratching the back of his neck in a bashful gesture.

Daario pouted. “You’re all so uptight. You need to loosen up. I was only joking. I’m only interested in my Dragon Queen. Who has been strangely silent this entire time. Are you alright, Khaleesi?”

Daenerys frowned worriedly. “It’s just…I feel like we’re being watched.”

“Oh, we are being watched,” Arya confirmed in a blasé tone. “By at least five different people.”

Gendry’s eyes widened. “Why didn’t you say anything sooner?” he hissed.

Arya shrugged carelessly. “I’m hungry. I rather eat first. I don’t like fighting on an empty stomach. Let’s wait for them to make the first move…preferably after I’ve had my pudding.”

“I, too, felt a lot of murderous intent directed our way,” Daario remarked with a casual air.

“Sure you did…” Jon scoffed with a skeptical look on his face. “You’re making that up to look impressive in front of Daenerys.”

“I’m not making it up,” Daario grumbled. “I can feel it. It’s a seasoned warrior’s gut instinct.”

“Uh huh. Sure…” Jon said.

Daario folded his arms over his chest. “Alright then, smarty-pants. Why don’t you tell me who wants us dead?”  

Jon discreetly looked around the tavern, made his choices, and voiced them. Daario laughed loudly. “You’re way off. The ones who want us dead are...” Daario spoke his choices.

“You’re both wrong,” Arya cut in smugly. “Those people just want to rob you or fuck you. The ones that want to kill us are-” She began to point to people scattered throughout the tavern. “Him. Him. Her. Him. And him.”

Jon paled as he realized what Arya had just done. “Arya! I thought you wanted to wait till after you had your pudding!”

Arya shrugged. “I changed my mind. I got bored with this conversation.”

All five people stood up and removed their threadbare, hooded cloaks with a flourish to reveal their white, hooded cloaks that they’d been wearing underneath. On the cloaks’ back was the image of a black, leafless tree. The assassins were also wearing flashy, skintight black and white leather bodysuits.

“Who the hell are these guys? Performers in a traveling circus?” Daario asked. He’d never seen a woman wearing something so skintight before and whistled at her.

“They’re called Faceless Men…” Arya informed him. “They’re members of the Assassins’ Guild.”

Daario paled and gave the female assassin an apologetic look. “Assassins’ Guild? I’ve heard of them. Shit. We’re fucked.”

“No we’re not. Leave this to me if you’re afraid!” Arya whipped out her dagger and gracefully moved into a fighting stance.

Jon unsheathed Longclaw. “I’m not letting you fight them on your own, sis!”

Gendry whipped out his hammer. “Neither am I!”

“I’ll hang back and protect Daenerys,” Daario informed them.

Daenerys grew irritated by Daario’s over-protectiveness. “I don’t need protecting.”

“Yes, you do,” Daario said in a stern tone.

The Faceless Woman was the first to attack. She reached into her clothes, pulled out two knives, and threw them at Arya.

Arya used her Valyrian steel dagger to block the throwing knives and then charged forward, swinging her dagger at the Faceless Woman as soon as she was close enough. The female assassin pulled out a knife and used it to block Arya’s attack.

For a moment everyone watched in stunned silence as Arya and the Faceless Woman battled. Both women were highly skilled. Their movements were so fast they could barely be followed by the naked eye. And there was something almost sensual and erotic about the way they were trying to kill each other that had the men inside of the tavern captivated.

Gendry took advantage of the distracted state of one of the Faceless Men, and charged towards him with his hammer raised. The Faceless Man’s attention focused on Gendry, and he pulled out two knives that he threw at the blacksmith. Gendry didn’t bother to try and block or dodge such swift attacks. He just grit his teeth and mentally prepared himself for the pain he was about to feel from getting stabbed.

A knife imbedded itself in Gendry’s shoulder, and the second knife imbedded itself in Gendry’s thigh. This didn’t slow Gendry down in the slightest. The blacksmith swung his hammer at the assassin’s head.

The force of Gendry’s blow took the assassin’s head right off his shoulders in a rather gruesome manner, blood and brains flying through the air.

Arya took a moment to gawk at Gendry. Wow. He’d actually been able to kill a Faceless Man all on his own. She couldn’t help but be impressed…and was strangely aroused by his display.

Upon seeing Gendry’s success Jon decided to use a similar strategy in order to get past the nimble assassins’ defenses and charged one of the Faceless Men head on. The Faceless Men threw a knife at Jon that he miraculously managed to block with Longclaw. Jon smirked and kept charging forward.

After seeing what had happened to his comrade the Faceless Assassin decided on a new battle strategy and unsheathed the double-edged broadsword he had strapped to his side.

Jon swung his sword at the Faceless Men who blocked the attack with his own sword. Jon and the assassin engaged in battle, exchanging sword blows. Jab. Parry. Stab. Block.

Another assassin had targeted Gendry and was trying to get past the blacksmith’s defenses as Gendry swung his hammer in a wide arc in front of him.

Meanwhile, an assassin targeted Daenerys, and Daario swiftly stood in his way. Daario whipped out his arakh and got into a fighting stance. The Faceless Man threw several daggers Daario’s way and the mercenary gracefully blocked the knives with his arakh.

The Faceless Man smiled sharply at Daario. “Impressive. You’re not one of us…what are you? A Dothraki?”

“A simple sell-sword,” Daario said.

“Ah.” The Faceless Man unsheathed his sword and pointed it at Daario. “Let’s settle this with swords then.”

Daario grinned, flashing white teeth, and sheathed his arakh. “Much obliged.” Daario unsheathed his own double-edged broadsword and charged towards the assassin.

Daenerys felt Daario’s absence as he left her side to engage his opponent in battle and a feeling of cold swept over her. The clanging sound of steel clashing against steel rang through the room and reverberated through the air.

Clang. Clang. Clang.

The sound was so loud it hurt Daenerys’s ears.

Then the strangest thing happened as Daario’s sword clashed mightily against the assassin’s - she thought she could see them for a moment.

_What was that?_ Daenerys wondered, her stomach twisting with her anxiety.

Daenerys concentrated on listening to the fight, and the sound of weapons clashing. _I can see it. I can see them fighting! Arya is engaged with a female assassin. Daario with a Faceless Man. Jon is also fighting a man. I can only ‘see’ them when their weapons clash and they make sound. Is this because my sense of hearing has been heightened?_

“Daenerys Targaryen, you can’t see me can you?” a female voice purred in Daenerys’s ear.

“Eek!” Daenerys quickly stepped back in an effort to put some distance between herself and this female assassin that had appeared out of nowhere or rather was simply invisible to Daenerys.

Daenerys ended up knocking into the table behind her, jarring the table, and causing a couple of empty bottles of wine to roll off the table and shatter as they hit the floor.

Daenerys carefully felt her way around the table in a desperate effort to place the table between herself and the assassin, as if the table could protect her. _Shit._ She was a sitting duck like this. And she didn’t have a weapon…

Daenerys felt her hands along the table and encountered cutlery. A fork and…yes! A steak knife. Daenerys held the knife up before her and pointed it in the assassin’s general direction.

The female assassin laughed lowly. “That won’t work. You can’t kill what you can’t see.”

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.

What was that crunching sound? Daenerys wondered. Broken glass being stepped on? I can hear her! Daenerys spun and slashed her knife in the assassin’s direction.

“Ow!” the assassin cried out as her arm was cut. “How did you just do that? According to Commander Jaqen you should be blind. Shit!”

Daenerys swiped her hand across the table and sent more glass bottles flying to the floor. They hit the stone floor and shattered.

“Die!” the assassin said as she charged towards Daenerys across the broken glass.

_I can see her!_ Daenerys realized.

The assassin swung her knife at Daenerys, but Daenerys ducked and lunged her knife forward, stabbing the assassin in her stomach.

The female assassin staggered backwards in shock. “Impossible. How could you kill me?” The Faceless Woman sank to her knees as her lifeblood slowly poured out of her. She smiled. “Dragon Queen. I see it now. You may have killed me, but Death is coming for you, Daenerys. The Doom is coming!” Daenerys heard the assassin fall over onto the floor where she remained unmoving.

Jon snuck his sword past his opponent’s defenses and stabbed him straight through the gut, his sword exiting out the assassin’s back.

“The Doom is coming,” the assassin said before he died.

Jon pulled his sword out of the corpse and turned to check on Daenerys. Jon was shocked to see a trembling Daenerys holding a bloody knife, the corpse of a female assassin at her feet.

How the hell had she managed that? Daenerys! Jon ran towards her.

Daenerys flinched at the sound of broken glass being tread upon. She swung her knife out blindly. “Stay back!” she warned.

Jon stopped and looked down at the broken glass beneath his feet. Had Daenerys heard his approach? “Dany, it’s me.”

Daenerys instantly lowered her bloody knife and her shoulders sagged in relief. “Jon…” Her trembling also ceased. Jon stepped forward and embraced Daenerys. “Jon, what about the others?” Daenerys asked.

Jon smiled, warmed by Daenerys’s concern for the others. “Everyone is handling themselves quite well, considering they’re professional assassins.”

Daario spun like a top, and his sword snuck past his opponent’s defenses and he cut the faceless man in half.

Gendry managed to bash his opponent’s head in when the assassin tripped over an empty wine bottle that had been rolling across the floor, and Gendry had taken advantage of the assassin’s split second of distraction.

Arya was still battling the female assassin who was the most skilled of the group by far. The female assassin started to laugh. “Hohoho! You fools! By killing us you only bring us one step closer to our goal. 9,913 faces. That’s 86 faces to go!”

Arya frowned. The assassin was talking about the number of faces inside the temple in the House of Black and White. She’d asked Jaqen how many faces were inside the temple once. Jaqen’s response at the time had been ‘not nearly enough’.

But when Arya had continued to pester him about it he’d finally caved and told her 6,472 faces. “What happens when you reach 9,999 faces in the temple?” Arya demanded.

A sinister smile curled the assassin’s blood red lips. “The Doom will be born.”

“What is The Doom?” Arya demanded.

“Death,” the assassin said airily.

“You know what I mean. Is it a monster? Some kind of powerful being like the Night King? What is it?” Arya continued in an insistent manner.

“Knowing won’t help you. Even you won’t be able to stop it. Soon Death will sit on the Iron Throne. Hohohoho!” the assassin cackled with a hand raised in front of her mouth.

“Well, that was incredibly unhelpful. Thanks for nothing,” Arya snapped.

“You cannot stop it. It’s already too late…” the assassin continued.

“Shut up already,” Arya threw her dagger and it imbedded itself in the assassin’s throat.

The assassin’s eyes widened in shock and blood poured out of her mouth as she tried to speak.

“That laugh of yours was annoying,” Arya said. The female assassin collapsed to the floor, dead. Arya walked over to the woman’s corpse, leaned over, removed her dagger from the woman’s throat, and began to wipe her blade off on her leather pants to get the blood off. When Arya looked up she saw Jon, Daario, and Gendry giving her a strange look. “What? You can’t leave blood on a dagger…it will rust.”

“I don’t think Valyrian steel can rust,” Jon said. “But that’s besides the point. Did you really have to kill her like that?”

Arya grew defensive. “Like what?”

“Like…you enjoyed it.” Jon waved his hand helplessly through the air.

Arya bristled with anger. “Jon, the Faceless Men are trying to kill us. We can’t be nice to them or try to get them to be our friends. You can’t show them mercy. That’s a good way to end up dead.”

Jon scrubbed a hand down his face and sighed. “I understand that, but Arya…do you enjoy killing?”

Arya saw the haunted look in Jon’s eyes, and it hurt and made her feel betrayed by his lack of faith in her. “No. Of course not.” Arya looked down at the woman. She wore a different face in death. She frowned. “It’s just…I enjoy being better. I enjoy winning. I enjoy bringing justice upon those who deserve it. I enjoy punishing evil people.”

Jon’s stare hardened. “You enjoy punishing people?”

“Evil people,” Arya clarified.

“Who decides that these people are evil, deserve to be punished or killed, and are beyond all hope of redemption? You?” Jon raised his eyebrows at his sister. “Are you a god now that is judge, jury and executioner, Arya? Are you Death?”

Arya took a step back, and shook her head. “No. I’m not Death. I’m not ‘no one’. I’m Arya Stark!”

Jon gave Arya a sad, tortured look. “I want to believe that’s true.”

“Don’t look at me like that!” Arya snapped, slashing her hand angrily through the air. “Don’t you dare judge me, Jon. Especially after what you’ve done!”

Jon flinched and hung his head.

“Um, excuse me,” the waitress began hesitantly, “Do you all still want to eat?”

“Of course we do,” Arya snapped, glaring at the waitress who was holding a tray with all their meals on it. “We just worked up an appetite! All that killing was a lot of work, obviously.” Arya sat down at the table with a huff.

“How can you eat after…” Jon shook his head disappointedly. “Never mind.”

Arya angrily dug into her potpie. Gendry joined her at the table, and started to eat with her, but more solemnly. Gendry looked up at Jon, Daario and Daenerys, who were still standing. “You guys should try and eat too. You’ll need your strength if more of these assassins are going to come after us.”

“Boy’s got a point!” Daario agreed before taking a seat at the table and tucking into his stew.

“Only the living get to eat,” Gendry said softly as he looked down at his stew. “You should be thankful to be alive after that fight. It was a fight to the death.”

Jon helped Dany over to the table and they both sat down grudgingly.

“So, what was all that about ‘The Doom is coming’?” Daario asked with his mouth full. “What were those assassins talking about?”

“They were referencing The Doom of Valyria…” Daenerys piped up. “They’re saying that what happened to Valyria will happen once again.”

Daario arched an eyebrow at her. “And what did happen?”

Daenerys shrugged. “No one really knows. There are many theories. But the Dragon Lords and their dragons were killed by it…whatever it was. A great working of evil magic, perhaps? A monster? A natural disaster that caused all seven of the volcanoes to erupt at the same time? No one knows for sure. Only that it had something to do with magic and dragon eggs and the slaves that worked in the volcanoes…”

“Slaves?” Arya’s interest was piqued.

“Yes, apparently around ten thousands slaves decided to commit suicide all at the same time by jumping into the lava pits…” Daenerys revealed in a solemn tone. “This occurred right before The Doom.”

_9,999 faces. A dragon egg. The Doom._ Arya thought to herself, putting the pieces together in her mind like a puzzle. _The Faceless Men must be about to perform some kind of magic ritual that involves 9,999 faces, and the dragon egg. I want to go to Braavos and stop the ritual from happening, but this quest comes first. Afterwards, I’ll go to Braavos and stop Jaqen and whatever he’s up to. I’ll prove Jon wrong. I’m not Death. I chose to be Arya Stark. I chose my family. I chose life._

“9,999 faces…” Arya muttered darkly to herself. That definitely didn’t leave them very much time…

“9,999 what?” Jon asked.

“It’s nothing. Forget it,” Arya said, waving her hand through the air in a dismissive gesture.

“You were incredible back there, Khaleesi,” Daario began to compliment Daenerys affectionately just as they were finishing their meal. “I saw you take out that assassin with one strike. You’re as deadly as they were.”

Daenerys laughed nervously. “You’re over-exaggerating. It was mostly luck.”

“If you decide to run off and join the Assassins’ Guild, I’m coming with you,” Daario joked.

“They won’t let you keep that handsome face of yours, you know,” Arya said.

Daario hopeful expression turned aghast. “You’re saying I’d have to give up this perfect face? On second thought…I’m sorry, Khaleesi, I guess I can’t be an assassin after all. To deprive the world of my handsome face would be a great sin.”

Daenerys snorted. “You are unbelievable. Could you before more vain?”

“I don’t know. Probably. Can you wear a mirror around your neck so I can always gaze into my reflection?” Daario suggested.

Daenerys burst out laughing. “Gods!”

Jon frowned as he watched Daario making Daenerys laugh. She hadn’t laughed like that since…? Jon’s frown deepened as he thought about whether or not he’d ever made Dany laugh. He’d made her smile, sure, but not laugh. She looked so happy and carefree with Daario. _Vain son of a bitch…_

Jon chugged back the rest of his ale and waved down a waitress to get him another tankard. Ever since he’d been brought back to life, Jon knew he’d become a bit of a downer. Tyrion had pointed out that he was always brooding. He probably wasn’t fun to be around. He tended to make people sad with his melancholy thoughts.

He’d made Daenerys happy when they were having sex, but now because of her blindness she seemed reluctant to be with him in that manner. He’d have to wait for Daenerys to make the first move though, regardless of how much he yearned to touch her, to hold her, to be with her…

The serving wench set a new tankard of ale down in front of Jon. Jon picked it up and began to chug it back.

Arya placed a hand on Jon’s arm, and gave him a disapproving stare. “You won’t be able to protect her if you’re drunk, Jon.”

_Shit._ His sister was right. Jon set down his tankard. Why were his sisters always right?

The meal continued with Jon brooding, Daario joking, Daenerys laughing, Arya thinking, and Gendry watching Arya thoughtfully and wondering what happened in Braavos.

Gendry thought about the scars on Arya’s body. It hadn’t been easy for her to gain her strength. Why didn’t Jon see that? Arya must have been through a lot. What Arya needed most was kindness, understanding, and support. He saw that Arya was trying - trying to fight the darkness within her…

He wouldn’t judge Arya. He’d promised to be her wings, and not a cage. He’d just have to keep on believing in her. A dopey smile formed on Gendry’s face.

Arya hit Gendry on the back of his head. “Stop thinking about sex.”

“Ow…I wasn’t thinking about sex. But I was thinking about you,” Gendry admitted.

“Same thing,” Arya argued.

“No, it’s not, pervert. I was thinking about how I believe in you…” Gendry said, causing Arya to blush.

Daario let out a whistle. “Get a room you two! Geez.”

Jon was looking back and froth between Arya and Gendry confusedly. “Wait, are you two…lovers?”

“No,” Arya said.

“Yes,” Gendry answered. “I mean…we’re friends now. But we’ll get married when Arya is ready to settle down, so…technically we’re betrothed. She’s my wife-to-be.”

“We are not betrothed,” Arya said. “And I’m not your little wife.”

Gendry mouthed at the group: “Yes she is”

“It’s complicated,” Arya said.

“Ah, young love,” Daario said swooningly. “You two are so adorable it hurts.”

“Shut up, Daario,” Gendry and Arya said at the same time.

Daario chuckled. “You two act like an old married couple already! Precious!”

Jon was pleased by the revelation that Arya had a love life. _If Arya has Gendry in her life maybe he can keep her ‘human’ and from turning into ‘death’. Just like how I’m trying to keep Daenerys from going mad. But she doesn’t seem crazy now…she seems normal. What if the key to Daenerys’s sanity is Daario?_ Jon set down his tankard. He suddenly didn’t feel like drinking anymore.

***

That night, Daenerys and Arya were lying in bed together. “Can’t sleep?” Arya asked, noticing that Daenerys was breathing too heavily to be asleep.

Daenerys let out a resigned sigh. “No. Only, I fear falling asleep. If I sleep, I dream, and I’ve had the most unsettling and strangest dreams lately…”

“Oh? What are they about?” Arya asked, trying to keep her tone casual.

“Promise you won’t tell Jon?” Daenerys said.

“Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye…” Arya promised morbidly.

“I dream that I used Drogon to burn King’s Landing. I dream that I killed tens of thousands of innocent people and that I became the Mad Queen. Queen of the Ashes. I dream that I killed children. And I dream that because of this sin Jon kills me. He stabbed me with a dagger right through my heart.”

Arya sucked in a breath. Daenerys’s dream was just like Jon’s vision of the future. “Oh. I don’t think it really means anything,” she assured in a blasé manner.

“Really?” Daenerys said, her voice tinged with hope.

“It probably just means that you’re sexually frustrated,” Arya said in a matter-of-fact tone.

“Sexually frustrated?” Daenerys sputtered.

Arya nodded adamantly. “You dreamed about Jon stabbing you with his dagger, right? Jon stabbing you is the same as dreaming about Jon fucking you with his mighty sword. The dagger symbolizes Jon’s cock.”

Daenerys flushed, feeling scandalized. “You’re saying that dream means I want Jon to fuck me?”

“Absolutely,” Arya said.

Daenerys grew thoughtful, and chuckled softly. “You’re wicked. But maybe you’re right. I have been feeling…restless lately.”

“It would be good training for you…” Arya said.

“Training?”

Arya nodded. “Right now one of your most important senses is your sense of touch. Through touch you can see.”

Arya reached out and ran her index finger down over Daenerys’s face, down over her nose, and finally over her lips. “Touch my face. See me.”

Daenerys reached out and ran her hands over Arya’s face and concentrated on creating a visual image of Arya’s face in her mind with the information her sense of touch was giving her.

Arya had very expressive eyebrows, and surprisingly soft, feminine lips. She had a very round face. She was so pretty and yet so deadly.

Daenerys was thoughtfully tracing her index finger along Arya’s lips when there was a low knock on the door that caused both girls to startle guiltily and giggle.

“Yes? Who is it?” Arya called out.

“It’s me…Gendry.”

Arya raised an eyebrow at the door. “Come in.”

Gendry opened the door and slipped inside. He looked nervous and embarrassed. Arya’s interest was instantly piqued. “Er, it’s just…since Jon is sleeping outside your door in order to protect Daenerys I have the room all to myself, Arya…”

“I already told you we can’t have sex,” Arya huffed.

Gendry flushed. “I know. I was thinking I could just kiss you…” He glanced at Daenerys and then back at Arya. “Everywhere.”

Arya’s cheeks turned pink. “Oh? Okay. Sure.” She started to get out of bed.

“You’re leaving me here alone?” Daenerys demanded.

Arya let out an amused chuckle. “Jon is sleeping right outside the door in case you decide to work on your training.” She shot Daenerys a wink.

“You…just winked at me, didn’t you? Cheeky girl,” Daenerys said.

Arya continued to laugh lowly as she left the room with Gendry. Daenerys lay in bed staring…or rather seeing nothing but darkness as she lay on her back facing the ceiling. She much rather be trying to see Jon at least. She let out a defeated sigh. “Jon!” Daenerys called out.

The door opened almost immediately. “Yes, my Queen?”

“Jon…I…I’m cold,” Daenerys stammered, feeling strangely shy.

Jon smiled, entered the room, closed the door behind him, and made his way over to Daenerys. He walked over to the bed, pulled the covers back, got in under the covers, and lay on his side facing Daenerys. “Is this better, My Queen?”

“Move closer,” Daenerys urged in a purring voice.

Jon scooted closer, and Daenerys reached out her hands and began to feel Jon’s face. She studied it intently and concentrated on forming a visual image of Jon’s face in her mind.

Jon also had expressive eyebrows, surprisingly long lashes for a man, a long straight nose, thin lips, and stubble on his chin. There were wrinkles between his eyebrows from him furrowing his brow in worry too much.

“I see you…” Daenerys breathed in awe. She pressed her index finger between his eyebrows. “Don’t furrow your brow so much or else you’ll get more wrinkles and look like an old man.”

Jon chuckled lowly. “Easier said than done.”

“Jon?”

“Yes?”

“I want to see you…all of you…” Daenerys said softly.

Jon gulped. “Whatever you desire, my Queen.”

Daenerys smiled. “Undress yourself for me.”

“Sure.” Jon quickly got out of his clothes, tossed them in a haphazard pile on the floor, got back on the bed, and lay on his back, awaiting Daenerys’s inspection. “I’m ready for you, my Queen.”

Daenerys crawled over to Jon’s side, and then reached her hands out. They landed on Jon’s hard pecs. Daenerys ran her hands over Jon’s chest, creating a mental image in her mind of the dips and grooves of his muscles. Then her fingers began to find his scars…

Daenerys gently ran her fingers over his seven scars, and then leaned over Jon to kiss them. Daenerys placed a kiss on each stab wound one by one, affectionately.

Jon felt loved in that moment. Forgiven.

Jon’s breathing was picking up as Daenerys continued to touch and kiss him. “You’re enjoying this and I haven’t even touched you there _yet_.”

Yet. Jon’s throat went dry at those words full of sensual promise.

Daenerys ran her hands down Jon’s abs, heading south over his bellybutton, and then following his treasure trail. She stopped before she knew she’d get to his cock. She wouldn’t touch Jon there just yet.

Instead Daenerys ran her hands down Jon’s muscular thighs, and then over his shins. She ran her hands up and down Jon’s legs, and when her hands ended up on Jon’s inner thighs his hips bucked up of their own accord.

Daenerys could hear Jon panting, and smiled smugly. She reached out and found Jon’s half-hard cock. Daenerys carefully wrapped her hand around it and began to study it with her touch. It lengthened and thickened as she slid her hand over it. He had an impressive length despite not being very a tall. His cock was long, hard, pulsing, and warm. There was vein throbbing on the side of his cock and the tip of his cock reminded Daenerys of a mushroom. After she had a good visual image of Jon’s erection in her mind, Daenerys started to stroke his cock with more purpose.

“Dany…” Jon choked out once he was fully hard, his erection resting against his stomach now. “Please…”

Jon sounded so desperate and pitiful that Daenerys felt confident enough to make love to Jon, even in the dark caused by her blindness. She boldly straddled Jon’s hips. Then Daenerys raised her hips, grabbed Jon’s cock, and guided him to her entrance that was already wet and throbbing with lust and desire for him.

Daenerys impaled herself on Jon’s cock, taking him in all the way to the hilt. Jon let out a strangled groan and struggled to keep still. He didn’t want to spook Daenerys since he knew this had to be hard for her. He wanted to make sure she knew that she was in control right now. Jon gripped the bed sheets and tried to rein in his lust.

Daenerys placed her hands on Jon’s chest to steady herself and then she began to ride his cock. At first she set a slow pace to their lovemaking, but then as warmth pooled in her lower stomach she quickened her pace until she was practically bouncing up and down on Jon’s lap.

“Oh, yes…Dany, you feel so good. Just like that…” Jon urged in a deep, husky voice.

Daenerys clenched her inner walls around Jon’s cock teasingly and he groaned in response. She ran her hands over Jon’s scarred chest. “I can see you…all of you, Jon.”

“I see you too…” Jon said as he looked up at her with hooded eyes, watching her breasts bounce up and down delightfully, “You’re so beautiful. Perfect.”

Daenerys teased Jon’s nipples and that pushed him over the edge. His hips bucked up, he buried his cock deep inside Daenerys, and came inside her.

Daenerys cried out at the feeling of Jon’s hot seed filling her. And she thought about how Jon had already gotten her pregnant, and the lewd thought had her coming next, trembling against him as she shouted his name: “Jon!”

“Daenerys!” Jon said back.

Exhausted and spent, Daenerys collapsed on top of Jon. She turned her head and listened to the sound of Jon’s heartbeat. It sounded so loud. Her sense of touch and hearing had heightened dramatically. She could almost see Jon with her in the dark.

Jon ran his fingers through Daenerys’s long, white hair, admiring its softness.

Daenerys fell asleep to the comforting sound of Jon’s heartbeat, and his soothing, gentle touch as he ran his fingers through her hair. _I see him. I see you, Jon Snow._

To be continued in…Chapter 8:

Author’s Note: Sorry for the delay. I decided to go ahead and handwrite the entire rest of the story. That means the rest of it just needs to be typed into my computer and edited, so hopefully updates will be faster now. There will be 11 chapters total. Thank you for your patience! Keep in mind I’m super busy with work right now, but want to get this story out as soon as possible for those still suffering from that ending. Once the entire story is done and I have the time I do plan to go through and edit it much more thoroughly and then I will make a note that it has been edited again in the summary in case some people want to wait for a higher quality version of this story. Thanks!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	8. Nymeria

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Game of Thrones or a Song of Ice and Fire.

 

Chapter 8: Nymeria

 

Dany, Jon, Daario, Arya and Gendry set out to take the winding forest path to the God’s Eye forthwith. A few hours passed when Jon’s attention was drawn to a hawk crying overhead. Jon frowned, remembering the wildling skin-changer for some reason.

Jon shook his head of such thoughts. He knew that he was just being paranoid. Although Bran _had_ warned him that the trees knew each other, and that the Green Men would stop at nothing to make sure Jon’s traveling party didn’t reach the Isle of Faces. The hair on the back of Jon’s neck stood on end, and he rubbed the back of his neck, willing the ominous feeling to go away.

Jon considered telling the others that perhaps they were being watched, but upon seeing the small smile on Daenerys’s face that Jon knew _he’d_ put there for once - he selfishly decided not to.

Jon flushed as he recalled the previous night and how Daenerys had mapped his body with her hands. Daenerys had paid extra special attention to his seven scars. It had made him feel loved…

When the sun started to set the group decided to make camp in a clearing they’d happened upon. Arya and Gendry gathered firewood while Jon and Daario both tried to get a fire going, but to no avail.

Jon had a piece of flat wood with a notch in the center of it, and a twig. He placed the twig in the notch so that it was vertical to the piece of flat wood and started to roll the twig between his hands quickly in an effort to get a spark going.

“You’re not doing it fast enough,” Daario drawled as he watched Jon’s efforts.

“Shut up,” Jon grumbled.

“Let me try,” Daario insisted. “I’ll get the fire going in no time. You obviously don’t know what the hell you’re doing.”

“Fine. Go ahead and try.” Jon let go of the twig.

Daario crouched before the flat piece of wood, placed the twig upright in the notch, and then began to roll the twig between his two hands swiftly.

Minutes passed…

Jon snorted. Daario glared at him. Daenerys sighed. “You’re _both_ doing it wrong. Allow me.” Daario guided Daenerys over to the piece of flat wood and twig. Daenerys ran her finger over the notch in the flat piece of wood and frowned. “I need a small piece of dried moss or a dry leaf.”

Jon handed Daenerys a bit of dried moss. “Here, Dany.”

Daenerys placed the small piece of moss in the notch and then placed the twig in the hole and began to roll the twig between her hands quickly. Smoke soon started to rise into the air and then the moss caught fire.

“There,” Daenerys said triumphantly as her hand hovered over the tiny flame she’d produced. “I can feel the heat of the fire. Place it beneath the pile of wood. I hope you placed the wood for the fire in a conical shape so that the fire can breathe properly.”

Jon and Daario shoved each other’s shoulders as they sought to fix their haphazard pile of firewood until it was a conical shape. Jon carefully placed the piece of flaming wood in the center of the pile of firewood and watched as the wood began to catch on fire and burn, flickering orange and red flames coming to life. The flames temporarily mesmerized Jon - there was something _alluring_ about them.

Daario reached out, grabbed Jon’s hand, and placed it into the fire. Jon was too startled to react right away and the two men stared as Jon’s hand remained untouched by the flames.

Daario sucked in a surprised breath, and sat back on his haunches. “So the rumors I heard back at the Red Keep are true then…you’re unburnt. Like Khaleesi.”

Daenerys grew alarmed. “What did you _do_ , Daario?”

Daario shrugged with an unrepentant look on his face. “Oh, just a little experiment. Apparently, you were right. Both you and Jon have magic flowing through your veins.”

_Magic._ Jon thought, feeling unsettled. He pulled his hand out of the fire and stared down at his hand contemplatively. He felt _different_. Ever since Cersei had tried to blow him up and the green wildfire hadn’t harmed him he felt… _odd_. Not himself.

It was like ‘something’ that had been lying dormant inside of him had been awakened. But what? A sleeping dragon?

Daenerys reached out and let her fingers dance in the flames. “My brother Viserys was no true dragon. When Khal Drogo poured hot, liquid gold over my brother’s head he died. Did you know…my brother Viserys told me about how thousands of years ago in Valyria children were baptized by fire to make sure they were _true_ dragons? Unfortunately, as centuries passed and the magic given to us by the First Dragon began to fade…when children were baptized by fire, not all survived. That’s when Valyrians started to try and preserve the bloodline, having sisters and brothers marry each other. They Valyrians wanted to keep the bloodline as pure as possible in an effort to keep their magic and power. I was named after a girl named Daenys Targaryen who had prophetic dreams of the future. She foretold the Doom of Valyria and so the Targaryens left Valyria to Dragonstone. Daenys married her brother Gaemon. But my brother told me that Daenys had a secret forbidden romance with a wolf…”

Jon’s interest was piqued. “A wolf?”

“Ben Stark was his name….” A wistful smile curled Daenerys’s lips.

Jon’s eyes widened. A Targaryen and a Stark had a forbidden romance. A dragon and a wolf.

“But Ben was killed and Daenys forced to marry her brother Gaemon,” Daenerys explained. “If my brother Viserys hadn’t decided to marry me off to Khal Drogo in exchange for an army I probably would have been forced to marry him.” She shuddered and wrapped her arms around her body. “My brother Viserys was cold, petty, and cruel.”

Jon wrapped his arm around Daenerys’s shoulders and pulled her close to his side to offer her comfort. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

Daenerys leaned closer into Jon’s space, taking comfort in his presence and she breathed in deep of his cinnamon scent.

“Did your brother ever…?” Jon questioned tentatively.

Daenerys shook her head. “He…would _look_ at me, and there were fleeting touches, but he had to keep me pure to marry me off to gain an army.”

Jon scowled darkly, and opened his mouth to say something about how he wished he could kill Viserys when Daario beat him to it.

“If your perverted brother were still alive I’d take his head from his shoulders with my arakh and feed it to your dragon!” Daario exclaimed passionately.

Daenerys laughed coldly. “I appreciate the sentiment, but even if my brother Viserys was a perverted bastard…he was still my brother and I loved him. His death still saddens me sometimes. Though I had forgotten.”

“The bonds of family are strongest of all,” Jon said solemnly.

“I never really had a family…” Daario began, speaking to Jon since Daenerys already knew his story. “My drunk mother sold me off to the fighting pits when I was so young I barely remember her. I’ve always been on my own. But after I met Daenerys I started to hope that perhaps with her I could start a family and learn what the true meaning of family really is.”

Daenerys frowned. “But you knew I could not have children…why would you think such things?”

A cocky smirk curled Daario’s full lips. “I would have prayed to the gods for a miracle. That and I have faith in my magic cock.” He shot Daenerys a wink.

Daenerys had to resist the urge to place her hand over her stomach. _Miracle…?_

Jon grew sullen. He’d prayed to the Lord of Light to help him give Daenerys a child but his prayer had gone unanswered…

At that moment, Arya and Gendry arrived with more firewood. Arya dropped her bundle of firewood on the ground, but then bent over to pick up two long, straight sticks that were four-feet-long. Arya walked over to Daenerys and threw the stick at her. “Here. Catch.”

Daenerys fumbled to catch whatever Arya had thrown her way and the staff hit her on the head. “Ow.”

“Arya, what are you doing?” Jon reprimanded.

“I’m beginning Daenerys’s training,” Arya replied with a twinkle in her blue eyes. “Now, pick up that staff and get up, Daenerys.” Daenerys picked up the staff and stood. “Good. Come over here. Follow the sound of my voice…” Arya directed.

Daenerys followed the sound of Arya’s voice until the two girls were facing off against each other in the clearing. Arya wasted no time in attacking Daenerys. She hit Daenerys on her right arm then her left and lastly tripped Daenerys right off her feet so that she fell to the ground with an ‘oof!’.

“Arya, you’re being too hard on her,” Jon chided, resisting the urge to go over and offer his hand to Daenerys to help her stand.

Daenerys held up her hand in objection and Jon noted the determined expression on her face. “No, Jon, I can handle this.” She stood up, raised the staff before her, and reached out her senses to try and predict where Arya’s next attack would come from.

Daenerys could hear Arya walking towards her across the dried leaves that were scattered upon the ground. _There!_ Daenerys raised her staff to block Arya’s incoming attack. Finally, Daenerys was able to block one of Arya’s attacks.

Without her sight, Daenerys’s hearing had sharpened. Her hearing was her strength. Sound her enemy’s weakness. _I can do this!_

Jon watched in awe as Arya attacked Daenerys with the staff again and again. He cringed each time Daenerys was hit, but then something changed, and Daenerys slowly started to block Arya’s attacks.

_How is she doing that, when she can’t see?_ _She’s amazing._ Jon thought proudly as he watched Daenerys holding his sister Arya off.

Although, once Arya got really serious Daenerys was flat on her back on the ground again. Still, it was an improvement. _She’s getting stronger, right before my eyes._ Jon thought with a pang in his chest. _Soon she won’t need me anymore._

As the group traveled through the forest, Arya’s training of Daenerys continued over the course of the next few days. Things had been peaceful so far, and Jon was beginning to think Bran’s warning had been needless. However, on the 6th day of their journey Jon spotted a brown hawk flying overhead once more and frowned. _It can’t be the same hawk…can it?_

At that moment a loud roar echoed through the trees. Daario’s eyes widened like saucers. “What the hell was _that_?”

Arya grew thoughtful. “It sounded like a bear.”

Daario had seen renditions of bears and gulped. “At least it’s not wolves…”

“Oh, a bear can be much worse than a pack of wolves,” Arya said ominously. “They’re a lot faster than they look and one swipe of their claws will rip the flesh from your bones. And their strength is monstrous. They can crush boulders with one whack of their paw.”

The blood began to drain out of Daario’s face and he shuddered. “Thank you. I feel so much better now,” Daario said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Arya offered the sell-sword an innocent smile. “You’re welcome.”

Jon felt uneasy. “We should pick up the pace before-”

All of a sudden an enormous, thousand-pound bear emerged from the tree line and onto the path directly behind the traveling party. The bear opened its maw and let out a deafening roar in their direction.

“Fuck. _That’s_ a bear?” Daario exclaimed.

“That’s no ordinary bear…” Jon said, narrowing his eyes at it. “It’s a direbear. Arya, go on ahead with Dany!”

“Right.” Arya nodded, grabbed the reins of Dany’s horse, and took off at a gallop, leaving the boys behind to deal with the bear.

Jon unsheathed Longclaw and charged towards the bear. As soon as Jon was close enough he swung his sword at the bear in a horizontal slash. The bear ducked and then slashed its claws at Jon in retaliation.

Jon blocked the creature’s claws with his sword’s blade. The bear used its other paw to slash its claws at the legs of Jon’s horse. _Oh no._ The claws sliced right through the horse’s front legs. The horse let out a pained whiney before toppling over to the ground. Jon flew forward off the horse’s saddle, hit the ground, and rolled right into a mud puddle.

The direbear charged towards the fallen Jon and sprang up into the air, prepared to come down right on Jon.

A hammer hit the side of the bear’s head before that could happen and sent it crashing sideways. The bear shook its head, temporarily dazed.

Jon turned to see Gendry with a bloody hammer held in his two hands, and shot the blacksmith a grateful look. “Gendry…” The direbear let out an irritated sound and growled low in its throat.

“Hurry up and get up before you become that thing’s dinner, Shorty!” Daario called out.

Jon struggled to get up, but his hands were slipping in the mud puddle he’d landed in.

The bear set its sights on Jon again - its big, luminous, brown eyes focused on Jon, and flashed gold for a moment.

Jon blinked. He’d seen this phenomenon once before when the wildling skin-changer would warg into his hawk. Sometimes, when Jon had looked up to watch the hawk’s flight he’d noticed that occasionally its eyes would flash with a golden light.

_Someone is warging into that thing!_ Jon realized. _That explains why it’s acting so smart. Is it one of the Green Men Bran warned me about? Shit._

The direbear was almost upon Jon at this point…

“Jon, get out of there!” Gendry shouted.

“Shorty!” Daario whipped out his arakh, jumped onto the bear’s back, and stabbed the bear with his weapon. The bear let out a roar of pain and rage in response.

Jon’s eyes flared. Had Daario Naharis just saved his life right then? _What the fuck?_ “Daario, be careful! Someone’s warging into the bear!”

“Someone is _what_?” Daario snapped, clearly irritated.

“Someone has possessed that bear with their mind or spirit…I’m not entirely sure how it works, but it gives the bear human intelligence!” Jon quickly explained.

“Oh. Gotcha,” Daario said. The bear decided to roll with Daario still attached to its back in an effort to crush Daario with its tremendous weight.

Daario nimbly leapt off the bear’s back, and just in the nick of time. Daario watched wide-eyed as the bear rolled across the ground. Yeah, that was probably _not_ normal bear-like behavior…

Jon finally managed to get to his feet, and charged towards the bear, Longclaw raised before him. He wanted to try and take advantage of the fact that the bear was lying on its back on the ground.

Aiming for the creature’s neck, Jon swung his sword in an overhead downward slash. The direbear caught Jon’s sword using both its clawed paws. “Seven hells!” Jon tried to pull his sword back, and wrench it out of the bear’s fierce grip, but to no avail.

The bear took advantage of Jon’s distracted state and sank its teeth into Jon’s shoulder. Jon let out a howl of pain and immediately felt dizzy as blood began to gush out of the wound.

“Jon!” Gendry called out in concern. “Let go of him, you monster! Ah!” The blacksmith charged towards the bear and swung his hammer at the bear’s head. Gendry managed to land a direct hit on the creature’s jaw and the direbear released Jon.

Seizing his chance, Daario grabbed Jon, and began to drag Jon across the ground and out of harm’s way. The direbear set its sights on Gendry now as blood poured out of its mouth from its broken jaw.

Gendry attacked the direbear again, and swung his hammer at its head. This time the bear dodged Gendry’s attack in a very human-like maneuver, however. Then the bear raised its right paw and slashed its claws at Gendry.

Gendry raised his hammer to block the attack, and the bear’s paw collided with his hammer. Unfortunately, Gendry had underestimated the strength and power that would be behind that blow and was sent flying back until his back hit the trunk of a tree.

A cracking sound filled the air, and Jon hoped that wasn’t the sound of Gendry’s spine snapping but instead the sound of the tree’s trunk breaking. _Gendry…_

Gendry’s limp body slid down the tree’s trunk to the base of the tree and remained unmoving.

Daario was backing away from the bear with Jon’s arm around his shoulders for support. The bear set its sights on Daario and Jon next, and let out a loud roar in their direction, blood and spit spewing out of the bear’s mouth. Daario flinched at the fearsome sight.

“Daario, leave me behind, and run,” Jon said grimly.

A fierce expression settled over Daario’s face as he looked at the bear and raised his arakh before him. “No can do, Shorty. We need you if we’re ever going to get to the Isle of Faces and cure Daenerys. I can’t let you die here.”

The direbear charged towards Daario and Jon with thundering steps that made the ground beneath their feet quake. As soon as he was close enough the bear swiped his paw at them. Daario swung his arakh and managed to stab the bear’s paw.

However, the bear closed his paw like a human closing their hand into a fist and gripped the arakh tightly. The bear then pulled his paw back using its tremendous strength and managed to disarm Daario, yanking the arakh right out of his grip.

“Fuck!” Daario swore.

The direbear smiled at them in a very human-like manner before it raised its other paw in a threatening manner. Daario could see where this was going and he did the only thing he could do in that situation. He turned around placing his back to the direbear and shielded Jon with his own body.

The direbear’s paw swiped out and it raked its claws across Daario’s back. Daario grunted in pain.

“Daario!” Jon shouted, his voice laced with concern and his eyes wide. This was the second time the sell-sword had come to his defense. Daario and Jon sank to their knees and waited for the direbear to finish them off. The direbear strode towards them with menacing steps. _Oh shit._

However, the direbear glanced in the direction Arya and Daenerys had gone, sniffed the air, and then took off running in the direction the girls had fled.

“Dany…” Jon murmured, his voice laced with worry.

***

Arya heard the direbear’s roar and glanced over her shoulder to see that the bear was charging after them. _Seven hells!_ Had Jon, Gendry and Daario been defeated already? _Useless men! Now it’s up to me to protect Daenerys._

_A sword is a tool to protect people with._ Gendry’s words sudden rang in her mind.

_When have I ever protected someone other than myself, really?_ Arya mused. _These skills I learned from the Many-Faced God…I’ve used them to kill and get revenge. How many times have I used these skills to protect or save people?_

_I killed the Night King, but did I do it to save everyone? Or did I do it for myself? For my own aggrandizement._ Arya shook her head. _No. I did it to protect my family, didn’t I? Jon, Sansa, Bran, Gendry…they had all been counting on me. I did it for them!_

“It’s after us, isn’t it?” Daenerys said grimly. “I can hear its approach.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll protect you,” Arya vowed.

“I can fight too…” Daenerys said.

Arya frowned. “No. You’re not ready.”

“When _will_ I be ready?” Daenerys asked with a tinge of impatience to her voice.

“When you’re able to beat me in single combat,” Arya explained simply.

“Arya, I know you’re highly skilled, but I don’t think you’ll be able to defeat that direbear,” Daenerys started. “Just from the sound of its footfalls I can tell the creature is enormous. If I had to make a guess…I would estimate that it weighed more than a thousand pounds. We should just keep running.”

“You’re right. I can’t win. I’ll probably lose. But I’ll try to take that thing down with me!” Arya said bravely.

“Arya…” Daenerys said, her voice thick with emotion. She hated it when people were willing to die for her. It made her think of Jorah.

“Listen, Daenerys, if I don’t make it…after you’ve been cured of your blindness, you and Jon need to go to Braavos,” Arya said adamantly. “The House of Black and White must be destroyed. Have Drogon do it.”

“The House of Black and White? The religious temple? But why?” Daenerys asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

“It’s not really a temple - it’s a sacrificial altar. The Faceless Men intend to-!” Arya was saying when the sound of a loud roar had Arya glancing over her shoulder to see that the bear was almost upon them.

Arya gripped her staff and lunged it backwards; it hit the bear right between its eyes, but didn’t appear to do much damage.

Arya leaned forward on her horse, raised her hand, and brought it down hard on the rump of Dany’s horse. “Fly!” Dany’s horse let out a whiney and took off at the faster clip.

The direbear roared Arya again, and swung its clawed paw at the legs of Arya’s horse. The direbear’s claws sliced through Arya’s horse’s hind legs. The horse let out a pained cry and started to fall forward.

Arya gracefully leapt off the horse’s saddle and flipped through the air. She landed in a crouch, facing the bear with her staff raised before her in a two-handed grip.

Arya charged fearlessly towards the bear and swung her staff at it. The bear opened its large maw and bit down on the wooden pole of Arya’s staff. Arya’s makeshift staff was chomped in two. Arya frowned and tossed the two small pieces of wood aside. They were pretty useless at that size anyways. “Well, that’s _not_ good.”

Arya whipped out her Valyrian dagger and got into a fighting stance. She approached the bear cautiously. They circled and assessed each other.

Arya blinked. _Is this really just a wild bear? Perhaps a skin-changer has warged into it. But who? Jon is keeping secrets again, that idiot. He’s been acting edgy for days. He knows something. He always puts the entire burden on his shoulders and then this is what ends up happening…chaos._

Arya rushed forward and swung her dagger at the bear. The bear dodged her attack like a human would have. _Definitely possessed._ Arya nodded confidently to herself. _Who is this new enemy? It’s not the Faceless Men. So, who?_

The bear swiped its claws at Arya. Arya didn’t even both to try and block the attack; she knew she’d just get sent flying back through the air. Arya dodged and ducked claw swipes while trying to find an opening.

Arya ran around the bear, leapt up onto its back, and plunged her dagger into its back. The bear roared in anger and pain, then started to roll. Arya tried to remove the dagger from the bear’s back quickly, but it was stuck in the beast’s thick hide. _Shit!_

Arya was forced to relinquish her dagger and jump off the bear’s back as it rolled. She leapt backwards to put some distance between herself and the direbear. But she knew these efforts were pretty futile. She was now weaponless. She was as good as dead.

The bear got to its feet and started to approach Arya with menacing intent. That’s when the clomping sound of a galloping horse fast approaching reached Arya’s ears.

Arya turned to see Daenerys charging towards the bear on horseback with her staff poised like a lance a knight would use during a joust.

Arya’s eyes flared in alarm. “No! Don’t do it!”

“Ah!” Daenerys lunged her staff forward towards the bear.

The direbear opened its maw and chomped down on Dany’s staff but not hard enough to bite through it. Next, the bear swung its head in such a way that Daenerys was pulled right off the saddle.

Daenerys went flying through the air and landed on the grassy ground on her back. She let out a gasp as the wind was knocked out of her.

“Dany, no!” Arya yelled.

The direbear approached Daenerys and sniffed her curiously. The bear tilted its head at Dany, and its eyes glowed gold. Then the direbear turned its attention away from Daenerys and focused back on Arya.

_What the hell?_ Arya thought. The bear didn’t want to kill Dany? Or rather their mysterious new enemy didn’t want to kill Dany. But they definitely wanted to kill _her_. _Seven hells._

The bear charged towards Arya and attacked. Arya dodged and ducked claw swipes, but she was quickly tiring. She couldn’t keep this up forever, and her movements were slowing down. _Sometimes it really sucks to be human._ Arya thought dryly to herself. _Wights never got tired._

The direbear batted its paw at Arya and hit Arya in the chest. Arya was knocked off her feet, and landed on the ground on her back. The direbear approached Arya, walked right over her petite body and raised its claw over her face, prepared to deal a finishing blow.

Arya gulped as she stared up into the bear’s glowing gold eyes. She was staring Death right in the face. _Hello Death, my old friend. This is it. I’m finally going to die._

Arya shut her eyes at the very last second and instantly berated herself for it. _Coward!_ She waited for the inevitable pain - that never came? _What the fuck?_

The sound of two creatures growling and snarling at each other reached her ears, and Arya’s eyes snapped open to see that a gigantic direwolf had attacked the direbear. It had grabbed the direbear’s paw with its maw and had yanked it away from Arya’s face.

Wide-eyed, Arya watched as the direwolf started to pull the direbear away and off of Arya. That was no ordinary direwolf…Arya recognized it. “Nymeria!” Tears of hope welled up in her eyes.

Once the bear had finally gotten off of Arya, Nymeria leapt backwards to place some distance between herself and the wolf. Nymeria’s eyes narrowed upon the bear, and she appeared to be evaluating her opponent. The two wild beasts began to circle each other while growling low in their throats.

Suddenly, Nymeria and the direbear charged towards each other, and engaged in battle. Nymeria sank her teeth into the side of the bear’s throat while the bear raked its claws over the wolf’s back.

Nymeria was forced to let go and leap backwards as she avoided another deadly swipe of the bear’s claws. Both wild beasts circled each other again, and leapt at each other while trying to rip each other’s throats out.

It was a brutal fight filled with snapping maws and raking claws. Nymeria sank her teeth into the bear’s throat again, and this time the bear retaliated by biting into Nymeria’s shoulder. The two beasts started to roll across the ground.

Unfortunately for Nymeria the direbear was simply stronger and heavier and began to overpower Nymberia who at this time had ended up on her back and was staring up helplessly at the direbear that had her pinned to the ground.

“Nymeria! _No!_ ” Arya cried out.

The direbear roared in Nymeria’s face, blood and saliva getting on the wolf’s fur. The direbear then prepared to rip Nymeria’s throat out, opening its maw wide.

A howl echoed through the forest, and this howl was quickly followed by another and another. A pack of wolves emerged from the forest and ran towards the direbear. The pack attacked the direbear simultaneously giving Nymeria the chance to get out from under the bear. Nymeria then started to attack the bear along with her companions with renewed vigor. Nymeria leapt onto the direbear’s back and started to try and rip its throat out.

“You can do it, Nymeria! Get him!” Arya cried.

That’s when Arya spotted her dagger that was still stuck in the bear’s back. Arya took off running towards the bear and did her best not to get in the wolves’ way.

Arya leapt onto the direbear’s back, and grabbed the hilt of her dagger with both hands and pulled back with all her strength.

Finally, Arya’s dagger came free, and she leapt off the direbear’s back. She landed on her feet gracefully and waited for an opening. While Nymeria and her pack had the bear occupied Arya rushed forward and lunged her dagger into one of the beast’s glowing golden eyes.

Her long Valyrian dagger reached the creature’s brain. Nymeria quirked her head and broke the bear’s neck for good measure.

Nymeria leapt off the carcass of the direbear. Arya approached the bear and removed her dagger from its eye. Arya felt ‘someone’ shove her playfully, and turned to see that it had been Nymeria. Arya smiled at her pet wolf, well, _former_ pet wolf.

Arya reached out and patted Nymeria’s nose. “Nymeria, you saved my life. Thank you. You and your pack.” Nymeria allowed herself to be pet by Arya obligingly.

By this time, Daenerys had pushed herself to her feet. She was standing still with her staff clutched in her hands and was trying to get a sense of what was happening around her. “What happened?” Daenerys asked, listening intently for any more growls or snarls. “Arya, are you okay? Are you alive? What is that sound? Wolves?”

“It’s okay, Dany,” Arya said. “I’m okay. My direwolf Nymeria and her superpack saved us.”

Daenerys clutched her staff until her knuckles turned white. “Direwolf…? You mean we’re surrounded by a pack of wolves right now?” Alarmed, Daenerys’s voice grew in pitch as she started to panic.

Arya laughed. “Don’t worry. Nymeria won’t let them hurt us. She’s the Alpha. It’s perfectly safe.” Daenerys wasn’t entirely convinced by Arya’s serene sounding voice. “In fact, if we’re lucky Nymeria and her pack will accompany us the rest of the way to the God’s Eye.” Arya turned to regard Nymeria, and stared into her wolf’s eyes intently. “What do you say, Nymeria? Will you come with us? We could use your help…we have lots of enemies.”

Nymeria pushed her cold, wet nose against the palm of Arya’s hand in response. Arya smiled. “I think Nymeria is going to come with us.”

“Oh joy,” Daenerys said sarcastically.

Arya’s expression turned serious. “We’d better go find the boys, and see if they’re okay.”

“Jon…” Daenerys murmured in concern.

Arya’s horse had been killed by the direbear, so the girls mounted Dany’s horse before heading back down the forest trail in the direction they’d come from. Nymeria and her pack followed behind them.

Arya and Dany swiftly found the men, who were injured but thankfully still alive. Gendry was still unconscious, having been knocked out cold from his head hitting the tree’s trunk. Jon was suffering from a nasty shoulder wound and Daario had deep slash wounds on his back from the bear’s claws.

Ironically, Arya had been trained in the art of healing at the House of Black and White, and so set about the task of cleaning, disinfecting, and dressing Jon and Daario’s wounds.

Jon had been surprised and pleased to see Nymeria, and had greeted her like an old friend. Daario’s reaction to seeing a giant wolf hadn’t been as pleasant, however.

“Arya, Khaleesi, there’s a giant wolf behind you! Look out!” Daario had exclaimed, pointing a trembling finger at Nymeria, who was eyeing the mercenary with an almost bored expression on her furry face.

“We _know_ ,” Arya said, rolling her eyes. “Nymeria is my pet direwolf. Well, she used to be my pet before I released her into the wild.”

Daario gave Arya an incredulous look. “That beast was your _pet_?”

Gendry let out an amused chuckle. “What did you expect, Daario, for Arya Stark to have a pet _bunny_ come to our rescue? Of course the Slayer of the Night King would have a direwolf for a pet.” A wide smile formed on the blacksmith’s face.

Daario pouted. “I like bunnies.”

“My pet direwolf Ghost is at the wall with Tormund…” Jon pouted. “It’s a shame he couldn’t come with us.”

“I’m sure Ghost is fine with the wildlings,” Arya said. “More importantly, Jon, you have a lot of explaining to do.” Jon flinched guiltily. “Tell us everything you know about this new enemy that attacked us,” Arya demanded.

Jon let out a defeated sigh. “Alright. Bran warned me to stay on the main road because apparently there’s an Order of Green Men - the descendants of the First Men and the Children of the Forest - who are in charge of guarding the sacred Isle of Faces and protecting the Mother Tree. They don’t let outsiders go to the island. The Green Men must have a skin-changer as a part of their group. I noticed that a hawk had been following us for days now. Also, Bran said something about how the trees all know each other and communicate and that the Green Men have a connection to Nature and can communicate with the trees. They probably knew as soon as we’d entered the forest.”

Arya’s eyes flared. “The Green Men? Old Nan used to tell me stories about them. Apparently, they have green skin, yellow eyes, and antlers growing out of their heads. Oh, and they ride elks.”

Jon frowned. “Pretty sure Bran said they were ordinary men with an interesting ancestry…but I guess we’ll find out.”

Daario and Daenerys were clueless about ‘Green Men’ because they’d lived in the South. “Green…what now?” Daario drawled.

“Even I’ve heard of the Green Men…” Gendry said. “Apparently, they’re master archers and spearmen.”

Daario scratched his head in an exasperated fashion. “So…if we continue to take the forest trail we’ll likely run into these ‘Green Men’ and if we stick to the main road the Faceless Men will find us. Wonderful.”

“We can’t kill any more Faceless Men,” Arya said. “It’s what they want. I say we stick to the forest trail.”

“I’d pick Green Men over high-skilled and well-trained assassins,” Jon said.

“I trust Arya’s judgment in this matter,” Daenerys said.

Daario sighed. “Guess we’ll be killing Green Men instead of Faceless Men. Oh joy.”

Supernatural shit made Gendry nervous since unlike most of his traveling companions he didn’t possess any magical abilities. Arya could apparently magically alter her face and warg into animals. And Jon and Daenerys were unburnt. “It’s hard to swing a hammer at a fast-moving assassin, so I’m in for killing Green Men. I hope they end up being _just men_ after all.”

To be continued in…Chapter 9:

Author’s Note: For those curious about Daenys, Gaemon and Ben’s story I recommend going to YouTube and typing in: “Game of Thrones - Doom of Valyria - Animated Pilot”. I decided to consider that story cannon for my story since it’s so interesting. Thanks again for all the Kudos! They make my day!


	9. Green Men

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Game of Thrones or a Song of Ice and Fire.

 

Chapter 9: Green Men

 

Now that the group was down two horses because of the direbear’s attack Dany was riding with Jon and Arya was riding with Gendry as they traveled down the forest path. Daario pouted at the couples. “Daenerys could ride with me…” he offered.

“You wish,” Jon scoffed.

Daenerys was flattered Jon was being so possessive towards her, but couldn’t stop herself from instigating tensions between the two men. A part of her still wanted to punish Jon for everything he’d taken from her - the Dothraki, the Unsullied, and the Iron Throne. “We don’t want to exhaust the horses. We should probably take turns riding double. I’ll ride with Jon for an hour and then with Daario for an hour.”

Daario grinned at Daenerys cheekily. “A splendid idea, Khaleesi.”

Jon was caught off guard by Daenerys’s casual suggestion and couldn’t help but feel disappointed and hurt by it. _Does Daenerys still have feelings for the mercenary?_ Jon wondered with a sinking feeling in his stomach. “Splendid,” Jon echoed through gritted teeth.

Daenerys laughed and smiled at their antics. It was a nice feeling having two men fighting over her - it made her feel loved and desired.

Arya shot Daenerys a worried glance. “You shouldn’t instigate them, Dany. They’ll end up killing each other fighting over you…”

“Things won’t go that far,” Daenerys said confidently, but Arya’s expression was still doubtful.

Gendry spike to Arya in a low voice. “I’m glad I don’t have to deal with your other admirers. Wait, do you have any other suitors I should know about?” The blacksmith’s lips dipped into a frown at the thought.

“Besides Death?” Arya said teasingly.

“Be serious,” Gendry chided.

“I _was_ being serious…” Arya said, thinking about the strange way Jaqen H’ghar had singled her out even when she’d just been a useless, innocent girl in order to train her to become a Faceless Woman. “And no, I don’t have any other admirers. Most of my friends still think I’m a boy.” A crooked smile formed on Arya’s face.

Gendry chuckled. “Thank the gods for that! I want you all to myself.”

Arya noted how Gendry’s voice had grown low and husky. “Greedy bastard.”

Their journey continued with Nymeria and her pack escorting the traveling party safely through the forest. Days passed uneventfully, and Dany’s training with Arya continued. The group was making good time and on the 9th day of their journey they reached the God’s Eye Lake.

The group exited the edge of the forest and emerged onto the shore of the God’s Eye Lake. Jon admired the expansive, shimmery lake that stretched out into the distance as far as the eye could see. In the very center of the lake an island could be seen. Jon sucked in a breath at the sight. “We made it. The God’s Eye Lake and the Isle of Faces. We’re finally here.”

“What does the lake look like?” Dany asked curiously.

“It looks like the silvery surface of a mirror and the island looks like a floating emerald…” Jon described.

Daario let out an amused snort. “So poetic.”

Arya’s body tingled as she gazed upon the island intently. Great magical power lay there. It made her feel giddy. She felt drawn to the island and its great magical power.

Gendry noticed Arya’s intense stare upon the island. “What is it?”

Arya was snapped out of her stupor by the sound of Gendry’s voice, and she felt like she’d just come out of some kind of trance. “Nothing. It’s just…that island isn’t normal. Great magic exists there.”

Gendry raised an eyebrow at her. “Magic?” He frowned. “I don’t sense anything…”

“I sense it too,” Daenerys revealed. “It’s like I can almost see the island…a pulsing golden light in the darkness.”

“Great. So how do we get there?” Daario asked the obvious. “I don’t see any boats around here for hire. Are we going to have to swim?” He looked less than enthused by this prospect as he glared at the lake.

Jon also looked at the lake’s surface uneasily. “Swimming probably wouldn’t be a good idea. I sense…”

The _fwooshing_ sound of an arrow flying through the air reached Jon’s ears followed by the yelp of a wolf as an arrow hit it.

Arya’s attention immediately turned towards Nymeria and her pack. “Nymeria!”

A dozen more arrows flew through the air towards the wolves. Some of the wolves managed to avoid getting hit - others were _not_ so lucky.

“We’re under attack!” Daario exclaimed, whipping out his arakh and looking around their surroundings wildly.

Bursting through the trees were five riders. The men were dressed in dark green, hooded cloaks. The hoods were decorated with impressive antlers. The riders were wielding long white bows and spears that appeared to be made out of weirwood. Their hoods were raised, shadowing the features of their faces. Jon thought he caught a glimpse of gold eyes though. “The Green Men! They’re here!”

Daenerys was seated behind Jon on the saddle, and Jon unsheathed Longclaw and started to use it to cut down any arrows that were sent his way. _I must protect Dany!_ He thought to himself. Arrows were slower than throwing daggers, and Jon started to appreciate Arya’s dagger blocking training.

Daario was also cutting down arrows easily with his scythe-like weapon, and was already charging towards one of the Green Men with murderous intent. Daario let out a battle cry as he sliced through arrows. He took one arrow in the shoulder, but was already swinging his arakh at the Green Man before he could retaliate. Daario swiftly decapitated the man.

One of the Green Men shouted his comrade’s name in anger. “Dune! You’ll pay for that, heathens!” Abruptly, the man’s eyes turned solid white.

“A skin-changer…” Arya muttered and looked around to see where the animal attack would come from - the forest? The sky?

The wolves started to bark and growl at something. Arya followed their line of sight and spotted what at first appeared to be logs floating on the surface of the God’s Eye Lake. “What the?”

All of a sudden, several alligators began to emerge from the lake. Only one of the alligators was being controlled by the skin-changer and that was the largest. The Alpha. Its eyes were glowing with a golden light. As long as the skin-changer was controlling the Alpha the other alligators would follow their leader’s lead.

“Two can play at that game…” Arya said darkly, a determined expression settling over her face. “Gendry, protect my body.”

Gendry glanced over his shoulder at Arya and gave her a concerned look. “W-What? What do you intend to do?”

“I intend to do _this_.” Arya’s eyes turned solid white as she warged into Nymeria.

Arya’s body suddenly went limp behind Gendry and he panicked. He quickly grabbed Arya and pulled her petite body into his arms and onto his lap.

Nymeria’s eyes glowed with a golden light as Arya took control of the direwolf. Nymeria stalked towards the Alpha Alligator, and they circled each other for a minute before attacking. The wolf pack and alligators followed the lead of their Alphas and started to attack each other.

A Green Man noticed what Arya was up to and whipped out a long, white spear made out of weirwood, and charged towards Gendry and Arya with his spear poised before him like a jousting lance. Gendry whipped out his hammer and used it to block the Green Man’s first attack.

As soon as Daario decapitated one of the Green Men he set his sights on another, and charged towards him, his arakh raised. The Green Man unsheathed a sword and used it to block Daario’s first attack. Their weapons clashed.

“Return from whence you came, sell-sword,” the Green Man snarled.

Daario’s eyebrows rose to his hairline. “You know of me?”

“The trees know you…and you are not welcome here, heathen,” the Green Man warned. “Leave this place or die.”

“You’re the one who’s going to die!” Daario shot back in a cocky fashion.

Meanwhile, a Green Man wielding a spear attacked Jon and Daenerys. Jon used Longclaw to block the man’s attacks, but just barely. This man was fast and incredibly skilled. Jon felt a pang in his chest as he was reminded of Greyworm for a moment. This man was better skilled than he - just like Greyworm had been. Jon knew it wouldn’t take very long for this man to defeat him and he needed to get Daenerys to safety. “Dany…I want you to dismount and run for the forest. Then hide,” Jon directed her.

“You want me to run and hide?” Daenerys shook her head stubbornly. “No way. I’m going to stay and fight.”

Jon let out a frustrated sigh. “Daenerys, I know you’ve gotten better at fighting blind thanks to Arya but this man is incredibly skilled. You’d be no match for him,” Jon tried to explain in a frustrated tone.

The Green Man echoed Daenerys’s name in a thoughtful tone. “Daenerys?”

At that moment, one of the alligators attacked Jon and Dany’s horse. The horse cried out in pain and topped over. Jon and Dany were both thrown from the horse and landed on the ground. Suddenly, Jon and Dany were surrounded by a group of alligators that appeared intent on eating them.

Dany was currently unarmed and vulnerable to attack. Jon quickly scrambled to his feet, Longclaw in hand, and started to attack the alligators. “Stay back, you scaly bastards!”

But there were too many of them for Jon to handle alone, and an alligator started to close in on Daenerys. “Daenerys!” Jon shouted in concern.

The alligator opened its maw, tilted its head, and prepared to bite Daenerys’s head off.

“No!” Jon cried, his voice laced with terror as he realized that he was too far away to stop what was about to happen. However-

At that moment, a weirwood spear flew through the air, and headed in Daenerys’s direction. For one horrible moment Jon thought the spear would impale Daenerys, but it hit the alligator instead. The spear imbedded itself in the alligator’s eye socket, killing it instantly.

The Green Man Jon had been fighting rode towards Daenerys, grabbed the pole of his spear, and yanked it out of the alligator. Then to Jon’s great surprise the Green Man started to defend Daenerys against the alligators that continued to close in and try to kill her.

The Green Man who was currently fighting Gendry noticed what their comrade was doing and immediately became angry. “Ray, what the hell do you think you’re doing? They’re the enemy!”

“You’re wrong, Grimes!” Ray called back. “This is Daenerys Targaryen. She has the right to go to the Isle of Faces.”

“Ha! What about the others?” Grimes questioned scathingly. “A heathen sell-sword. Death’s disciple and her consort. And whoever the hell the other one is.”

Jon bristled with irritation at the Green Man’s words and raised his chin. “I am King Aegon Targaryen,” Jon announced, hoping that his true identity would help him rather than get him killed in this situation. It always seemed to be a fifty-fifty chance.

Ray startled and gaped at Jon for a moment. “Aegon? I see. The invisible ties that bind you brought you here. It is your destiny. You were meant to come here. Grimes, Daenerys and Aegon have magic in their blood. The blood of the First Dragon. They are allowed to go to the Isle of Faces. They _must_ be granted safe passage.”

“But they _killed_ one of us…” one of the Green Man pointed out hesitantly.

“Daenerys Targaryen and Aegon Targaryen may travel to the island, but the sell-sword and death’s disciple and her consort may _not_ ,” Grimes growled.

“When you say ‘death’s disciple’ you’re referring to me, aren’t you?” Arya demanded. “I do _not_ serve Death!”

Grimes’s eyes narrowed on Arya suspiciously. “His malevolent power is coursing through your veins. His _stench_ is all over you. You use his power and then claim not to serve him?” Grimes barked out a laugh. “Foolish girl. You are his pawn.”

“No!” Arya denied, a chill crawling up her spine.

“Then tell me, why have you come _here_ if not to aid Death’s cause in some way.” Grimes said keenly. “You have been sent here by Death for a nefarious reason. Even if you are not aware of it…he works through you.”

“No!” Arya said.

“If that’s true then leave this place and never return,” Grimes challenged, folding his arms over his chest and giving Arya and challenging look.

Arya opened her mouth to say something but swiftly shut it. She grew thoughtful. Was what the Green Man saying true? Was she being manipulated by Death? Why had she even come on this journey? The quest to find the Mother Tree - the source of _all magic_. A possible threat to the Many-Faced God. Had Arya been sent here by Death to destroy the tree? _Shit._ Arya realized she couldn’t risk it. She let out a defeated sigh. “Grimes is right. I shouldn’t be here. It’s too dangerous. I…there’s somewhere I _should_ be though. Somewhere I need to be if I am to stop Death’s schemes. Someone _must_ stop him before it’s too late. I must go to Braavos.”

“Then, I’m coming with you!” Gendry announced with a determined expression on his ruggedly handsome face.

“Gendry, it’s too dangerous,” Arya began. “I don’t know if I’ll return….”

“I won’t let you face Death alone _again_ ,” Gendry argued, fire blazing in his green eyes. “I’m also an enemy of Death. Please, let me go with you. I can help.”

Arya gave Gendry a thankful look. “What do you say to the god of death, Gendry?”

Gendry smirked. “Not today!”

Arya nodded. “Let’s do this. Jon, Dany, Daario - this is where Gendry and I leave you. I’m sorry I couldn’t go with you all the way to the Mother Tree.”

“Go and do what you must do, Arya,” Daenerys said understandingly. “Thank you for training me how to _see_ without being able to.”

Arya shot Dany a cheeky wink. “It’ll come in handy, you’ll _see_.”

“I won’t bother trying to stop you…” Jon said, reaching out and placing a hand on Arya’s shoulder and squeezing it fondly. “All I can do at this point is wish you luck. I believe in you. And I’m very proud of you, Arya. Go kick Death’s ass!”

“Thank you, Jon,” Arya said with tears in her dark blue eyes. “Take care of Dany.”

“I will,” Jon said fiercely.

The Green Man named Ray offered his horse to Arya so that she wouldn’t have to ride with Gendry. Arya thanked him profusely. They’d make much better time to the nearest harbor now.

Daenerys listened to the sound of Arya and Gendry riding off and turned in Daario’s general direction. “Perhaps, you should go with them, Daario,” she suggested tentatively.

Daario’s shoulders sagged with disappointment and he frowned at Daenerys. “No. I’ll just wait for you here, Khaleesi.”

Daenerys nodded. “Very well. I’ll _see_ you soon.” She smiled wistfully at the thought of being able to see again.

Ray led the group through the forest until they reached a large rowboat that the Green Men had concealed beneath some leafy branches. Ray and Grimes dragged the boat over to the lake, and as soon as everyone was onboard the Green Men started rowing them towards the Isle of Faces.

Daenerys nibbled on her lower lip, feeling a little guilty for leaving Daario behind on the lakeshore, but there was no other way. It was a miracle the Green Men were allowing them access to their sacred island.

Jon kept a wary eye on the surface of the lake. The skin-changer noticed Jon’s unease and chuckled lowly. “Don’t worry, they won’t come unless they’re called by their Alpha.”

“That’s…reassuring,” Jon drawled. He was _not_ reassured in the least.

Ray cleared his throat and addressed Jon. “You called yourself King?”

Jon nodded. “I’ve been crowned King of the Six Kingdoms.”

Ray let out a thoughtful hum. “Last I heard Cersei Lannister sat on the Iron Throne.”

“Cersei is dead,” Jon said solemnly. “As such, I am the true heir to the Iron Throne.”

Daenerys couldn’t help but flinch at Jon’s words. She tried not to let it bother her but deep down it still did.

“Interesting,” Ray said, a twinkle in his lilac-colored eyes. “I never heard of Aegon Targaryen but I did hear rumors that Daenerys Targaryen wanted the Iron Throne and was putting together quite an army.”

Daenerys stiffened. “Once Jon’s, I mean, _Aegon’s_ true origins were revealed to all and it became clear _he_ was the true heir to the throne…my battle for the throne was lost before it even really started.” Her lips dipped into a frown.

Jon reached out to take Daenerys’s hand. “Once we’re married you will be Queen of the Six Kingdoms, Dany.”

“ _Married?_ ” Ray choked out. “You two…are in love?”

Jon and Dany nodded. “Yes. I love her,” Jon said firmly.

“And I love him,” Daenerys said, immediately feeling guilty for her conflicting thoughts and feelings concerning Jon. _What’s wrong with me? Why do I always feel like I’m being torn in two by my own thoughts and emotions?_

Ray scrubbed a hand down his face and let out a happy laugh. “I see. So the last two Targaryens in our world found each other and fell in love. I suppose that was your destiny. The Targaryen live shall live on.” A pleased, wistful expression settled over Ray’s face.

Jon glanced at Dany. “If the gods will it…” Daenerys said airily.

It didn’t take long for the boat to reach the island. The group disembarked, and dragged the rowboat up onto the shore. After that Ray started to lead the way through the forest, presumably heading towards the Mother Tree.

The forest was ancient; the trees were enormous and covered in moss. The ferns were as tall as a man. Mist covered the ground, lending to the forest’s otherworldly and eerie ambiance. As the group traveled deeper in the forest the sound of tinkling laughter reached their ears.

Jon looked around at the trees warily. “Children?” He narrowed his eyes at the four-feet-tall figures he suddenly saw flitting among the trees all around them. They were skipping like fawns.

A figure abruptly stepped out onto the path in front of them. She was four-feet-tall, had green skin, golden eyes, and red hair that was braided. She was wearing a brown leather dress.

The girl immediately turned her gaze upon Grimes. “Who are these people you bring into the Sacred Forest, my son?” the Child of the Forest questioned.

“ _Son?_ ” Jon blurted out in surprise. The female before them only appeared to be around thirteen-years-old. But looks _could_ be deceiving…

“This Daenerys Targaryen and Aegon Targaryen,” Grimes said, waving a hand in their direction, and then waving his hand at the Child of the Forest. “This is my mother Terra.”

The female’s eyes widened. “More with the blood of the dragon have come. The magic in their blood calls them to the place where magic was born,” Terra said, nodding to herself.

Daenerys grew curious. “Other Valyrians have been to the island before?”

“Oh, yes, many years ago, Addam Velaryon landed on his dragon here and took counsel with the Green Men,” Terra began, a wistful look on her face. “Many years later, there was another who came to us on the brink of death. We saved him. He was reborn as one of us. He belongs to us now.”

“They had traveling companions with them,” Grimes began darkly. “Death’s disciple and her consort and a heathen sell-sword.”

Jon bristled with irritation. “My sister Arya is _not_ Death’s disciple. She is an enemy of Death. You’ll see. She’ll stop whatever it is the Many-Faced God is up to.”

Terra’s yellow gaze pinned on Jon. “Your sister will stop The Doom?” She raised a red eyebrow. “I’m afraid that’s not possible. The one foretold to stop The Doom is the Prince Who Was Promised. A prince of good and light and magic. He will be Death’s downfall.”

“A Red Priestess once told me that _I_ was the Prince Who Was Promised…” Jon said dryly.

“The prophecy does not refer to you, Aegon Targaryen,” Terra said, shaking her head before turning to gaze upon Daenerys intently. “Nor you, Daenerys Targaryen, but to _another_. He will be the most powerful Dragon Lord to ever live. A prince of fire and ice.”

Daenerys had to resist the urge to place a hand over her stomach. Could Terra be referring to her unborn child? Was it a boy? A prince? _A prince of ice and fire…_

Jon frowned, wondering who this Dragon Lord could be. Could Terra be implying that Dany and he may have a son together sometime in the future? Hope swelled in Jon’s chest at the thought.

“Our son maybe?” Jon blurted out.

Terra gave Jon a smile, and looked at Daenerys. “The mother of the prince of ice and fire must be protected at all costs. Come, we will take you to the Mother Tree, and she will heal you and make you whole again.” Terra took Daenerys’s hand and started to tug her forward. Daenerys allowed herself to be guided by the petite female.

Ray spoke to Jon in a low voice: “Did you already know?”

Jon frowned. “Know what?”

“I suppose not…” Ray said, stroking his chin in thought. “Or else you never would have allowed her to go on such a perilous journey.”

As the group continued their way deeper into the forest more Children of the Forest appeared and began to accompany the group a grove of weirwood trees.

Jon’s eyes widened at the sight of so many weirwood trees growing so close together. He’d never seen so many weirwood trees in one place before. All of the trees had faces carved into their trunks, and red sap was trailing down from the carved eye sockets, resembling tears of blood.

In the center of the grove stood an impressive five-hundred-foot-tall weirwood tree. Dimensions. “I can see it…” Daenerys breathed, facing the tree. “I can _see_ the tree. It’s a bright golden light shaped like a tree in the middle of the darkness.”

“You see the magic…” Terra explained, a glint in her eyes. “It calls to you. To your blood. Come.” Terra guided Daenerys towards the tree until they were standing directly before it. “First, drink this.” The Child of the Forest handed Daenerys a wooden cup filled with a red liquid. Daenerys took the cup and drank. “Now, place your hands on the tree, and open your mind and heart and body and soul to the tree, and you will be healed.”

Daenerys swallowed before reaching out and placing both of her hands on the trunk of the Mother Tree. The Mother Tree began to glow brightly with a golden light and pulse with energy. Then the tree reached out to Daenerys and entered her.

A warm feeling spread from the tips of her fingers down to the tips of her toes. At first, it was a comforting presence. Daenerys felt her eyes tingling, and tearing up. She could tell that her eyes were healing and then only a few minutes later they were completely healed.

But the power was still flowing through her for some reason, and entered her mind. Daenerys started to scream as the weirwood tree started to heal her mind of its madness.

Jon immediately grew alarmed. “Dany!” Jon ran in her direction.

“Stop him!” Terra ordered the Green Men imperiously. “Hold him back. The magical healing ritual must not be interrupted.”

Grimes and the skin-changer grabbed Jon’s arms and held him back as Jon struggled against them. “What’s happening?” Jon demanded angrily. “What is the tree doing to her? Why is it _hurting_ her?” He eyed the Child of the Forest suspiciously.

“It’s not hurting her…” Terra said serenely. “It’s clearing away the cobwebs of her mind so she will be able to think, feel, and see clearly once more.”

Jon grew frustrated. “I don’t understand.”

Terra arched an eyebrow at Jon. “She is being cured of her madness. Her mind is being healed.”

“Her mind too? Not just her blindness?” Jon asked, feeling faint. Was the impossible truly possible?

“Did you think her madness could not be cured?” Terra asked, eyeing Jon closely. “Oh, it can. The Mother Tree will heal her. You’ll see. You have saved her from herself by bringing her here, Aegon Targaryen.”

“I saved her?” Jon murmured as a feeling of relief swept through him and he smiled. “I caught the coin.”

“Yes, you did, and not a moment too soon,” Terra said ominously. “The Doom is coming. She is our only hope. No longer the Mad Queen or Queen of the Ashes. She will become the Savior Queen. No longer will she only have fear - she will have the love of the people. This shall come to pass. The Mother Tree has foreseen this.”

_Savior Queen?_ Jon thought. _I did it. I really did it. I saved the future. I saved Dany._

Minutes later, Daenerys finally stopped screaming, and sank to her knees out of exhaustion.

“It is done,” Terra announced, grinning when the weirwood tree stopped glowing. “The healing is complete. Release him.” She waved her hand at the Green Men holding Jon.

Jon stumbled forward as soon as the Green Men let go of him, and he ran over to Dany and crouched before her. “Dany…”

Daenerys turned to face Jon’s general direction. “Jon?”

Jon reached out and removed the silver mask Daenerys was wearing. Daenerys blinked her teary eyes and Jon’s face came into focus, along with his worried expression.

“Dany, can you see me?” Jon asked, and held his breath as he awaited her response.

Daenerys reached out and pressed her index finger between Jon’s eyebrows. “You really need to stop furrowing your brow in worry like that. You’ll get more wrinkles and mar your handsome face.” She continued to poke at his worry lines in a playful manner.

Jon offered Daenerys his hand. She took it and allowed herself to be helped to her feet. Jon placed his hands on Daenerys’s waist, picked her up, and started to spin her around. “You can see me! It worked!”

Daenerys let out a startled squeak that turned into a happy squeal as Jon spun her around. When Jon set her on her feet he reached out, cupped her cheek, leaned forward, and pressed his lips against hers in a loving kiss. Daenerys eagerly kissed him back.

They pulled away from each other a few minutes later to catch their breath, and Jon flashed Daenerys a happy grin. She looked up into his hazel eyes and breathed: “I see you.” Daenerys reached up to run her fingers through Jon’s black hair. “There’s more gray than there was before. You’re such a worry-wart, Jon,” she scolded him with a frown on her face.

“If my hair turns white I’ll look like a true Targaryen,” Jon joked.

“Fool,” Daenerys said affectionately.

“Enough of this,” Grimes snapped with an air of impatience. “Now that she’s been healed they need to leave this sacred place before they taint it with their evil.”

Daenerys looked at the Green Man curiously, taking in his distinctive appearance. Three of the Green Men had similar appearances - red hair in varying lengths and golden-hued eyes. Daenerys was almost disappointed that they didn’t have _green_ skin.

“I shall take them back across the lake to their friend,” Ray offered.

Daenerys’s attention snapped to the Green Man who’d spoken. She recognized his voice. He was the one who’d saved her life earlier from the alligators. He still had his hood up, but she caught a glimpse of white hair and lilac-colored eyes. Was his hair white due to his age, or perhaps something else? Daenerys wondered. And yet…there was something _familiar_ about this man. “Who are you?”

“Ray.”

“Who are you _really_?” Dany prodded, giving the man a searching look and trying to get a better look under his hood.

“I’m one of the Green Men. No one special…” Ray said evasively.

Daenerys was not convinced and her expression turned pensive as her silvery-blue eyes bore into his. “Ray…”

“Come, let us depart,” Ray said, turning and walking off into the forest expectantly.

Jon and Daenerys shared a questioning look before Jon shrugged. They followed the Green Man as he led the way through the forest and back to where they’d left the rowboat. The trio boarded the boat and Ray started to row them back to the lakeshore where Daario was waiting.

“Daenerys!” Daario ran over to the rowboat as soon as it’d reached the shore. “How did it go? Can you see?”

Daenerys smiled serenely at the mercenary. “I can see your rakishly handsome face once again, Daario, so yes.”

Daario flushed with pleasure. “That’s wonderful. I’m so happy for you, Khaleesi. This calls for a celebration!” Daario held up four flasks of wine. “I bought these flasks of wine at the _Kranky Kraken_ to celebrate Dany’s healing in the event that our quest a success. Can you believe they had Dornish wine?” There was a mischievous glint in Daario’s eyes. “And this is their strongest vintage!”

“I really should be heading back…” Ray said, starting to back away towards the rowboat.

Daario slung his arm around Ray’s shoulder amiably before the Green Man could get too far. “Oh, don’t be like that, friend. If it weren’t for you the other Green Men never would have granted Jon and Daenerys safe passage to the Isle of Faces. We owe you one. You must celebrate with us!”

“Well…” Ray began in a wary manner.

“He’s right,” Jon said, giving Ray a beseeching look. “Join us for a drink.”

“Yes, please, at least have one drink with us,” Daenerys said, offering the Green Man a warm smile. “I haven’t even gotten the chance to thank you for saving my life.”

“Alright. Fine. _One_ drink,” Ray acquiesced.

A few flasks of wine later the group was pleasantly drunk with cheeks flushed pink, and eyes glassy. Jon held up his flask in Daario’s direction. “To Daario Naharis! You’re not such a bad guy after all. You saved me from that direbear back there. Thank you. You’re a good comrade…and perhaps one day I’ll be able to call you ‘friend’.” Jon chuckled and slapped Daario on the back affectionately.

Ray and Daenerys raised their flasks obligingly before taking a swig. “To Daario!”

Daario shifted uncomfortably on the ground where he was seated next to a campfire they’d started once the sun had set. “I did that for Daenerys’s sake. She needed you to take her to the island. Because of you Daenerys was healed. You truly came through for her.” Daario raised his flask in Jon’s direction. “To Jon!”

Ray and Dany raised their flasks and drank deeply. “To Jon!”

Jon smiled lopsidedly at their strange group, and turned his attention to the mercenary. “We may have our differences, but we both love Daenerys. You are a worthy opponent for her affections. I can’t really blame you for loving her. She’s an incredible woman. A true Dragon Queen.” Jon turned his attention to Dany and his eyes softened. “Terra said one day she’ll become the Savior Queen and all the people will love her. To Daenerys!”

Ray, Daario and Jon held up their flasks and toasted Daenerys. “To Daenerys!”

Daenerys blushed. _Savior Queen?_ She mused to herself, feeling strangely guilty by being called that. She’d come _so_ close to being the ‘Mad Queen’ and ‘Queen of the Ashes’.

Daenerys thought back to how she’d heard the bells ring in King’s Landing and how if she hadn’t been blinded and Bran hadn’t warged into Drogon she probably would have burned King’s Landing to the ground, killing thousands of innocent people in the process.

Innocent women and children would have been killed.

_Children…!_ Daenerys inwardly moaned, placing her face in her hands. What had she been thinking? No - she hadn’t been thinking. Only _feeling_. She’d been filled with so much hate and anger in that moment. She’d been mad.

Daenerys looked at Jon and the weird feeling she’d been having of not being sure whether she loved or hated Jon had changed. She now knew that she loved Jon without a doubt. That odd feeling of wanting to punish him no longer existed either, and had completely faded away.

I can’t believe I haven’t told him I’m pregnant with his child - the Prince of Ice and Fire. Daenerys thought as she glanced at Jon. How could I keep something so important a secret from him? What’s been wrong with me? I’ve been acting illogically. I really was mad, wasn’t I?

_But now, I’m thinking clearly once more. Everything is suddenly so clear. The Mother Tree…it didn’t just cure my blindness, it cured my madness. I must tell Jon the truth as soon as possible…_

Daenerys opened her mouth to do just that, but then noted Daario looking at her intently and she snapped her mouth shut. _Daario…oh, poor Daario!_ Daenerys thought, a feeling of guilt sweeping through her. Why had she been stringing him along on this quest? Why had she been playing with his emotions? _I was leading him on and using him as a tool to punish Jon with. I was acting crazy. I hurt Daario. I never should have let Daario come on this journey. I should have sent him back to Meereen as soon as he’d arrived at the Red Keep._

Daenerys chewed on her lower lip as she tried to decide what to say to Jon or to Daario. She’d really fucked things up by toying with their hearts.

But her biggest regret was how she’d been treating Daario. _How can I break Daario’s heart again? How can I tell him in a nice way that I don’t love him?_ Daenerys let out a defeated sigh. _There is no nice way. Oh, why oh why did I have to give him false hope?_

Daenerys opened her mouth and tried to say something to Daario that would make things right, but ended up closing her mouth again. The men were beginning to give her strange looks. Daenerys knew she must have looked like a fish on land gasping for air, and she laughed nervously at them. “I’m drunk,” she said by way of explanation.

Daenerys decided the right time to tell Daario these things and to ask for his forgiveness would present itself. She took another long swallow of wine. _Yes, I’ll think about this tomorrow instead._

To be continued in…Chapter 10: Jaelarys

 


	10. Jaelarys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaelarys means "hope" in Valyrian.

Disclaimer: I do not own Game of Thrones or a Song of Ice and Fire.

 

Chapter 10: Jaelarys

 

Daenerys was having a nightmare. King’s Landing was being destroyed. Buildings were exploding, and large chunks of rock were flying through the air. People were running and screaming through the narrow, dirty streets. They were running away from ‘something’. But what?

“It’s the Doom!” a woman cried.

The residents of King’s Landing began to cry out various exclamations: “The Doom - it’s here!” “We’re all done for…” “This is the end…” “Death has come for us all!”

Daenerys awoke with a gasp and sat up. Blinking owlishly, she looked around her immediate surroundings. Jon and Ray were lying on their sides close to the dying embers of their campfire. Both men were fast asleep or rather passed out drunk.

Daenerys’s heart was beating madly inside of her chest, and there was this sinking feeling that something wasn’t quite right…

Daenerys looked around for Daario and realized that he wasn’t there. He was missing. What the hell? Where had Daario gone? Daenerys made her way over to Jon and shook his arm. “Jon, wake up!”

Jon stirred, sat up, and blinked at Daenerys sleepily. “Dany? What is it? What’s wrong?” The sound of Jon’s voice awoke Ray. The Green Man sat up and waited to hear what Daenerys had to say.

“It’s Daario…” Daenerys began, giving the two men a grim look. “He’s gone.”

Ray was fully awake and alert in an instant. The Green Man leapt to his feet and walked over to where he’d left the rowboat concealed beneath some branches and found that it was gone. “He took the boat.” A dark scowl formed on Ray’s face.

Daenerys’s brow furrowed in confusion. “But why would he…?”

Jon was standing beside Daenerys, and looking out at the Isle of Faces when suddenly he yelped in pain and gripped his right arm. Jon collapsed to the ground and began to writhe on the ground in pain, clutching his right arm to his chest.

Daenerys instantly grew alarmed and crouched at his side. “Jon! What is it? What’s wrong? What’s happening?” Her voice was laced with concern.

“It’s…the Mother Tree,” Jon said through gritted teeth. “It’s on fire!”

Ray was mind-boggled by Jon’s claim. “How do you know this?” he demanded.

“I…can feel it,” Jon panted. “Gods, it hurts so much. I…I’m dying.” The old stab wounds on Jon’s chest opened up and started to bleed.

Daenerys placed her hand on Jon’s chest and when she pulled her hand back it was red and slick with blood. Wide-eyed, Daenerys shook her head in denial as she stared down at her hand. “No…no, I can’t lose you. Not now…after you saved me from my madness. Not after you’ve given me a precious gift…” Daenerys let out a loud wail of despair that echoed through the forest and carried across the lake.

A loud, guttural, animalistic roar answered her in return.

Daenerys blinked tears out of her silvery-blue eyes. She recognized that roar and hope swelled in her chest. “Drogon?”

A dark shadow lifted up from the Isle of Faces and started to head towards Daenerys. As the shadow grew closer Daenerys and Ray saw that it was in fact a dragon.

“Drogon!” Daenerys exclaimed in an elated tone. Apparently, Drogon had been hiding out on the Isle of Faces all this time. _I wonder why?_

Drogon swooped down and landed on the lakeshore before Daenerys. Drogon’s golden gaze focused on Jon who was writhing, screaming, and bleeding on the ground.

Daenerys turned to look at the Green Man. “Ray, I need your help. I do not have the strength to carry him. We must get Jon to the Mother Tree.”

Ray simply nodded, walked over to Jon, picked him up and carried him over to Drogon. Daenerys was about to explain to Ray how to climb up the dragon’s back when the Green Man scaled the dragon’s back in mere seconds easily.

Ray looked down at Daenerys, who was gawking up at Ray with her mouth hanging open slightly. “Hurry up, Daenerys!” Ray said impatiently.

“Oh…right.” Daenerys quickly climbed Drogon’s back and got up behind Ray and Jon. Daenerys gripped the spikes on Drogon’s back. “Drogon, take us to the biggest weirwood tree on the island. The Mother Tree. Go, now!” she ordered her dragon.

Drogon let out a loud roar in response, ran across the lakeshore, flapped his enormous wings, and then took off into the sky. Drogon headed towards the Isle of Faces and once they’d reached the island the dragon began to head in the direction of the weirwood tree grove.

Once they were hovering directly over the grove, Drogon flattened his wings to his sides and dove down through the treetops. The dragon landed on the ground directly beside the Mother Tree with a heavy thud.

Daenerys gasped at the horrifying sight before her - one of the branches of the Mother Tree was on fire and the fire was spreading dangerously along the branch and heading for the trunk of the tree. It wouldn’t take long for the entire tree to go up in flames.

Standing beside the Mother Tree with a lit torch in his hand and a sinister smile curling his lips was Daario. Daario had a manic look in his eyes as he caught sight of Drogon, Dany, Ray and Jon. “You’re too late! The Mother Tree _will_ burn! No one can stop it!”

“Why, Daario?” Daenerys asked in a betrayed, hurt tone.

“I…I’m doing this for you!” Daario exclaimed passionately. “Can’t you see? To protect you! It’s the only way.” He glanced at Jon and a grimly satisfied expression formed on his face.

“It’s _killing_ Jon!” Daenerys snapped hotly.

Ray hopped off Drogon’s back with Jon still held in his arms. Ray set Jon down on the ground and looked at him with a forlorn expression on his face. Then the Green Man looked at the Mother Tree and the flaming branch. Ray looked down at Jon, who was still clutching his right arm in pain. _The branch and the arm are on fire._ Ray thought to himself. _The rest of the tree and Jon’s body appear to be alright._

Ray suddenly recalled something he’d learned from the Children of the Forest. _What does one do when a tree grows infected?_ A determined expression settled over Ray’s face. _I cannot fail him._ Ray unsheathed Longclaw from the scabbard hanging at Jon’s belt, and held it out before him in a two-handed grip. Ray let out a cry, charged towards the Mother Tree, and leapt high up into the air.

Daario grew alarmed when he noticed what the Green Man was doing. “Wait! What are you doing? _No!_ ”

Ray brought Longclaw down on the flaming branch in an overhead downward slash. The flaming branch was cut away from the rest of the tree. Jon let out a yell of pain when the branch was severed and then fell unconscious.

Daenerys’s eyes widened as she watched Ray impressively cut the flaming branch from the Mother Tree. Ray’s hood had fallen back to reveal his long, snow-white hair.

Daenerys spoke to Drogon: “Drogon, the branch!” Drogon lifted his forepaw and stomped on the flaming branch, quenching the flames.

Ray walked over to the stunned Daario and punched him hard across the face. Now sporting a split lip, Daario stumbled backwards. Ray grabbed the torch out of Daario’s hand, threw it to the ground, and stomped on it with his boot to put out the flames. Ray frowned at Daario darkly. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done? You’ve sentenced Daenerys to death with your careless actions.”

“Why do you care, Green Man?” Daario snapped with obvious irritation. “What is Daenerys to you anyways?”

“She is my-” Ray was saying.

“Ray! What is the meaning of this?” Grimes entered the weirwood tree grove at that moment, followed closely behind by three other Green Men. The Green Men looked down at the charred weirwood branch with furious expressions on their faces.

“It was an accident-” Ray started to explain.

“Ha! A likely story!” Grimes interrupted, a disgusted sneer curling his lip. “One of them tried to burn the Mother Tree. That much is obvious. The punishment for harming the Mother Tree is death. Green Men, the outsiders are to be executed immediately for their crime!”

Grimes, the skin-changer, and two other Green Men raised their weirwood bows, nocked arrows to them and aimed at Daenerys, Daario and the unconscious Jon.

“No!” Ray shouted, coming to stand between the Green Men and the others. “I won’t let you harm them!” Ray raised Longclaw in front of him in a protective gesture.

“You traitor!” Grimes spat, golden eyes flashing with anger and hate. “We never should have saved your worthless life, you ungrateful Targaryen bastard!”

Daenerys shot Ray a curious look. “Targaryen…?”

“Kill them all! Ray too!” Grimes ordered in a haughty tone. The Green Men loosed their arrows simultaneously, and Ray nimbly cut the arrows down with Longclaw.

Ray spoke to Drogon: “Drogon! Keep them busy for us…but _don’t_ kill them!” Drogon let out a roar in response before charging past Ray and attacking the Green Men with his tail.

The Green Men let out surprised cries and scattered as they were forced to dodge and duck Drogon’s tail, which had deadly spikes on the end of it.

Ray ran over to Jon’s unconscious form, sheathed Longclaw in Jon’s scabbard, picked Jon up, and turned to Daenerys and Daario. “Come. Follow me. I know a safe place.” Ray shot a dark look Daario’s way. “And you have a lot of explaining to do, sell-sword.”

Daario gulped. “Yes Ser.”

Ray led Daenerys and Daario through the forest at a swift pace. The Green Man barely seemed to be affected by Jon’s weight as he carried him. In minutes, they’d reached mountainous terrain and started to head towards the side of a small hill covered heavily with vines.

Ray approached a part of the hill where the vines were the thickest and pushed the vines aside to reveal a hidden cave entrance. Ray beckoned the others to follow him through the opening and stepped inside first.

Daenerys and Daario quickly followed Ray into the cave. The cave was enormous and lit torches hung in sconces on the walls, illuminating the cave’s interior with a flickering, gold-orange glow. Ray carried Jon over to a fire that had been made in the very center of the cave.

A large white rock towards the back of the cave drew Daenerys’s attention as it appeared to move and she gasped. “What the…?” The shimmery white rock uncurled itself to reveal that it was in fact a forty-foot-long dragon. “Is that…a dragon?” Daenerys questioned, her voice laced with shock as she stared into the dragon’s large lavender-colored eyes.

The dragon growled low in its throat as it approached Daenerys and Daario. A proud smile curled Ray’s lips. “Yes. She’s my dragon. Her name is Opalia.” Ray strode over to Opalia and caressed her nose in a reassuring manner. “Shhh, there, there. These people are my guests. Two of them are friends, and one…well, we shall see.” Daario gulped at the Green Man’s words and the dragon stopped growling.

Daenerys’s heart fluttered at the sight of Ray petting the dragon affectionately and without fear. “You’re a Dragon Lord,” she said breathlessly. She’d never expected to encounter another dragon or Dragon Lord like this. “Just who are you?”

Ray turned to face Daenerys, and raised his white eyebrows at her. “I think you already know the answer to that.”

“Brother Rhaegar?” Daenerys said with an awed look on her face. Rhaegar nodded and offered Daenerys a lopsided smile. Daenerys wished she could return his smile, but she could not. “I don’t understand. How is this possible? I heard that the Battle of the Trident was decided when you and Robert Baratheon met in single combat on horseback in the stream. Robert crushed your chest with a mighty blow of his war hammer. They say the blow was so hard that the rubies adorning your armor were broken free to fall into the river that would later be known as the ruby ford. Without your leadership the royal army broke and fled back to King’s Landing.”

“An accurate retelling for the most part.” Rhaegar nodded. “Only, I wasn’t on horseback that day, but riding Opalia. After Robert struck me and I fell into the river he left me for dead. My wounded body floated down the river until the Children of the Forest found me. They used their magic to heal me and bring me back from the brink of death. In exchange, I had to pledge myself to them and become a Green Man. Protecting their sacred isle and the Mother Tree became my responsibility. Opalia was injured during that battle and could no longer fly. I could not leave her here alone and unprotected. She is the last female dragon in this world.”

“Opalia is female?” Daenerys murmured, feeling light-headed. _My brother Rhaegar is alive!_ Daenerys looked down at Jon’s unconscious form. “Jon…Aegon Targaryen…he’s your son.”

Rhaegar followed Daenerys’s line of sight and his expression softened as he stared down at Jon’s unconscious body. “I know.” There was a proud note to Rhaegar’s voice. “That’s why I couldn’t let the Green Men execute him. I couldn’t let down my son…that I had been forced to abandon.” Rhaegar turned to look at Daario. “My son almost died because of your foolishness. Explain yourself, sell-sword. Why did you try to burn down the Mother Tree? Depending on your answer I may let you live.”

Daario raised his chin in a show of defiance and his eyes flashed. “I wasn’t trying to burn down the Mother Tree, old man. I was trying to kill Jon. I knew of his connection to the tree. I eavesdropped on a conversation between Jon and Bran back at the Red Keep and discovered that because magic had been used to bring Jon back to life once - that if the source of all magic were destroyed then Jon would die.”

“But why did you want to kill Jon?” Daenerys demanded. “Out of jealousy? Over me?”

“It’s more complex than that,” Daario said. “I killed Jon because I knew the truth. You can’t trust him, Daenerys. One day he’ll kill you if he has to. Jon will choose duty over love!”

“I don’t understand…” Daenerys shook her head in confusion. “What are you talking about? Jon would _never_ hurt me.”

Daario let out a bitter laugh. “That’s where you’re wrong. I received a raven from Cersei Lannister. In that message she told me all about Jon’s vision of the future that he’d had with Bran’s help.” Daario took a deep breath and then told Daenerys everything that had happened in that possible future. He told her about how she’d burned King’s Landing to the ground, become the Mad Queen, Queen of the Ashes. Lastly, he told Daenerys how Jon had decided to kill Daenerys for the sake of the Seven Kingdoms.

By the end of it, Daenerys’s eyes were wide and teary. Her lower lip was trembling and she was shaking her head.

“He could be lying,” Rhaegar suggested, folding his arms over his chest and giving the mercenary a suspicious look.

“No. Daario is telling the truth,” Daenerys said, haunting shadows in her silver-blue eyes. “I’ve had dreams about that possible future. I thought they were just nightmares, but it turns out they were much more than that. They were a warning.” She placed a hand over her heart. “Some nights I wake up right after Jon has stabbed me and the pain is so real I can feel him sliding his dagger into my heart.”

Daario’s bleak expression turned hopeful. “Then…you must realize Jon _can’t_ be trusted. He’s your enemy. We should kill him now before he gets the chance to kill you again.”

Daenerys looked down at Jon’s unconscious body pensively. “No. He’s not my enemy.” She looked up at Daario. “He’s the father of my unborn child.” She placed a hand over her stomach and an apologetic expression settled over her face.

Daario’s eyes widened and he stumbled backwards in shock. “No. How can you forgive him when all he does is take, take, take!” Daario demanded in a hurt tone.

“Love is forgiveness,” Daenerys said softly, willing Daario to understand as she stared into his kind brown eyes. “Jon regretted his actions. He tried to undo what he did. The gods gave him a second chance to make things right and Jon chose to try and save me from my madness. And he did save me, Daario. You must understand. I can see now that Jon was right to do what he did.

“I burned King’s Landing to the ground. I killed tens of thousands of people unnecessarily. I killed innocent _children_! I was the Mad Queen. The Queen of the Ashes. Jon had no choice but to do what he did. I understand his actions and why he did it…and I forgive him for it. In my dreams when Jon kills me, he’s _crying_ as he does it. It hurt him too. I know it did. Jon _suffered_ …”

“You still love him?” Daario snapped in an incredulous tone. “Even after learning the truth? He killed you! Betrayed you! You…you’re mad…” A stunned expression settled over Daario’s face as he came to his own conclusion about Daenerys’s current state of mind. “You’re _still_ mad. It’s the only logical explanation of how you could still love that traitorous murderer! You are the Mad Queen! And I must save you from yourself, Khaleesi! I _must_ kill Jon! The man you love is your destiny and if you choose to love him, you choose death!” Daario whipped out his arakh and charged towards Jon’s unconscious form.

Rhaegar unsheathed Longclaw and stood in Daario’s path. “I don’t think so, sell-sword. I won’t let you kill my son!”

“Get out of my way, old man!” Daario growled out with obvious frustration. “My vendetta isn’t with you - it’s with Jon!”

“You would kill an unarmed and unconscious opponent?” Rhaegar drawled.

“I would kill a traitorous murderer in his sleep - yes!” Daario shot back.

Rhaegar gave the mercenary a hard look. “You’ll have to get through me first.”

A determined expression settled over Daario’s haggard face. “Have it your way. It’s your funeral, old man.” Daario charged towards Rhaegar and swung his arakh at him as soon as he was close enough. Rhaegar raised Longclaw and blocked the attack.

Daenerys watched her older brother and ex-lover fighting and started to chew her lower lip. Cersei Lannister had caused this chaos. Even after death Cersei still haunted Daenerys’s steps. Daenerys clenched her hands into fists out of anger and worry. _Cersei, you did this! Damn you!_ Daenerys thought venomously.

Daario had always been fast. Daenerys was surprised her brother was able to keep up with Daario’s lithe movements. They appeared to be equally matched, until-

Rhaegar swung his sword horizontally at Daario and Daario raised his weapon to block the attack. Rhaegar’s blow had so much strength and force behind it that Daario was sent flying backwards where he landed on the ground on his ass.

Rhaegar approached the fallen Daario and pointed his sword at Daario’s throat. “Yield. It’s over. You’ve lost, sell-sword. I want you to leave this isle to never return. If you do, I will execute you.”

“Why spare my life?” Daario asked, raising an eyebrow at the Dragon Lord.

“I’m only sparing your life because I know Daenerys cares for you,” Rhaegar said, his voice rough.

“Mercy is weakness, old man!” Daario threw a handful of dirt in Rhaegar’s face.

“Damnation!” Rhaegar spat, temporarily blinded. “You cowardly snake! You fight without honor!”

A cocky smirk formed on Daario’s face. “I fight to win and to save Daenerys from a villain!” The mercenary charged towards Jon.

This time Daenerys stood in Daario’s way with a long stick in hand. “I can’t let you kill him, Daario.”

“I don’t want to fight you, Khaleesi,” Daario said, giving Daenerys a tortured look. “I love you. My sword and my heart have been yours since that day in Meereen when I pledged them to you.”

Daenerys charged forward and attacked Daario with her staff. Daario blocked her staff with his arakh. Jon was awakened by the sound of fighting. He sat up and looked around the cave to get his bearings. The sight that met him was Daenerys and Daario locked in single combat. “What the…?” Jon searched the cave for Ray and spotted the Green Man who appeared to be having a problem with his eyes. A growling sound had Jon’s eyes flicking over to Opalia. Jon’s eyes flared. “Is that a dragon?” _What the hell is going on?_

Daario swung his arakh with more force and sliced through Daenerys’s staff. After that he backhanded Daenerys hard across the face, looking pained as he did so. “I’m sorry, my love, but it’s for your own good,” Daario said before turning his attention to Jon, and stalking towards him with his arakh raised before him in a menacing manner. “Time to die, Jon.”

Jon swallowed a lump of fear. The amount of murderous rage Daario was directing his way was pretty intense. “Are you going to betray me too?” Jon asked in a sad tone, thinking of the time the men of the Night’s Watch had betrayed him.

“Betray?” Daario echoed. “Ah…you trusted me. And here I thought you hated me. You’re too soft, Jon Snow. We were never comrades or friends. We’ve always been enemies.”

“But _why_ Daario?” Jon asked, his voice hoarse.

“You know why!” Daario snapped. “Cersei told me _everything_. And now Daenerys knows the truth too. You betrayed her. You killed her! You must pay for that!”

Jon jerked back as if he’d been slapped. “Daenerys knows…” Jon looked up at Daario with a haunted expression on his face. “You’re right. I deserve to die as punishment for what I did to the woman I love. I’ve done what I set out to do. I saved Daenerys from her madness. I caught the coin. I no longer have a reason to live. Kill me, Daario.”

Daenerys’s eyes flared in alarm. “No!” She shot Daario a warning glare. “Don’t you dare do it, Daario! You can’t kill Jon. I love him! He’s the father of my unborn child!”

Jon’s hazel gaze snapped to Daenerys and he gave her a shocked look. “Unborn child?” Daenerys nodded, placed a hand over her stomach, and offered Jon a tremulous smile. Jon was overwhelmed by conflicting emotions. He was happy and hopeful that Daenerys was pregnant with his child, and yet sad because he knew he didn’t deserve to have such happiness. “Our child…” _The Lord of Light listened to my prayer after all…_

“A child you will _never_ get to see!” Daario snarled. “Die, traitorous murderer!” The mercenary raised his arakh, and prepared to bring it down upon Jon.

Jon tried to reach for his sword but his right arm was still paralyzed and Longclaw was missing from his scabbard anyways. _Shit!_

“Opalia!” Rhaegar yelled out the command.

The white dragon set her sights on Daario, opened her maw, and sent a stream of fire Daario’s way. Daario turned to watch in horror as a blast of fire headed his way. There was no escape. Daario turned to look at Daenerys one last time. “Khaleesi, I lo-ahhh!” Daario screamed in pain as he was burned to ashes by dragonfire in an instant.

Horrified, Daenerys watched as her ex-lover was burned to ash and grew nauseous. Bile rose in her throat and she swallowed it back down. She could hardly believe she’d had the stomach to execute so many people this way. _I really was the Mad Queen._

Daenerys pushed herself up off the ground and ran over to Daario. His entire body had been turned to ash. With tears in her eyes, Daenerys reached out to caress Daario’s cheek with her hand. “I’m sorry, Daario. I drove you to this. I played with your emotions. I…killed you.” When Daenerys’s hand touched Daario’s cheek it caused his body to fall apart until it was just a pile of ash at Daenerys’s feet. Daenerys sank to her knees in front of that pile of ash, and cried. “Oh, Daario…”

Jon pushed himself up off the ground and made his way over to Daenerys. He sank to his knees beside her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Daenerys turned to face him then threw herself into Jon’s arms and cried into his chest. Jon stroked Daenerys’s hair in a soothing manner.

Rhaegar approached the couple and Jon noted the Green Man’s hood was down and his long white hair visible. Jon’s gaze lowered and he noted that Ray was holding Longclaw. Jon arched a confused eyebrow at the Green Man. “You fought to defend me. Why?”

Rhaegar gave Jon an emotional look. “Because…you are my son.”

Startled, Jon’s eyes widened like saucers. _This Green Man is Rhaegar Targaryen?_ Jon thought. “But how is that possible? The Battle of the Trident…” Jon trailed off as he remembered his history lessons.

Rhaegar told Jon everything that had happened - how the Children of the Forest had saved him using magic, how he’d pledged himself into their service and become a Green Man, how Opalia had been injured during the Battle of the Trident and couldn’t leave the Isle of Faces and how Rhaegar couldn’t leave her behind. Rhaegar explained passionately that the last female dragon needed to be protected just as much as the Mother Tree did.

Jon listened intently to Rhaegar’s story. After his father had finished his tale Jon couldn’t help but feel hurt that his father had never tried to find him, but he understood that his father had chosen duty over love. He gave his father a crooked smile. “We are related. You chose duty over love, just like I would have done.”

“There hasn’t been a day that’s gone by that I haven’t thought of you,” Rhaegar admitted, his voice laced with sadness and regret. “I’ve always loved you, my son, and wished for your happiness. Some days, I thought about leaving the Green Men…but in the end I couldn’t leave Opalia.” A guilty look settled over Rhaegar’s face.

“I never heard about Opalia in my history lessons…” Jon remarked dryly.

“The Children of the Forest used their magic to make people remember me fighting Robert on horseback instead of on my dragon,” Rhaegar explained. “She is the last hope for dragonkind.”

Jon gave Opalia a curious look. “Well, she _is_ beautiful.”

Rhaegar grinned in response.

***

Jon’s right arm was still bothering him, and so the group opted to stay hidden in the cave for the next few days while Jon recovered from his injury. A few days quickly turned into a month when Jon was reluctant to leave behind the father he’d never known and who he was enjoying getting to know.

According to Rhaegar Drogon lived in the cave too, but he’d been missing for a month now. Daenerys told her brother not to worry about it. Drogon had always been a free spirit.

The days passed by quickly with Jon and Rhaegar spending their time together sparring. Occasionally, Daenerys would join in on their impressive sparring matches, and even beat the men - thanks to Arya’s training.

On one such particular occasion Daenerys had been getting frustrated with losing to Rhaegar over and over again, and had told Opalia to put out the fire that was in the cave, plunging the cave into darkness. She’d kicked Rhaegar’s _and_ Jon’s asses that day.

Two months had passed when Drogon finally appeared. When he entered the cave he ignored the humans and instead made his way over to Opalia. The two dragons nuzzled their noses together and cooed happily at each other in greeting.

Daenerys watched this interaction in awe. “I can see why Drogon had been staying here.”

Jon grew amused as he watched the two lovey-dovey dragons. “Drogon got himself a wife.”

Drogon and Opalia made their way to the back of the cave where Opalia’s nest was. Jon had never noticed it before but there appeared to be three large, round stones inside of the nest. “Wait a second, are those…?”

Rhaegar smiled and nodded. “Dragon eggs? Yes. Those dragons will belong to your children, Jon. Your children will be _true_ Dragon Lords.”

Daenerys blushed at her brother’s words. “Children…” _Plural._ She thought, cupping her heated cheeks with her hands in an embarrassed fashion.

“The Prince of Ice and Fire will need a dragon of his own…” Rhaegar continued thoughtfully. “And his name shall be Jaelarys Obsidian. The dragons will hatch one by one as your children are born, and the dragons will bond with them.”

Daenerys placed a hand over her stomach. “Jaelarys Obsidian. The Prince of Ice and Fire.” She walked over to Opalia and reached out to pet her nose. “We are both mothers.”

Opalia nuzzled her nose against Daenerys’s hand and cooed. That’s when the strangest thing happened. Daenerys’s hand and stomach started to glow with a golden-tinged light. The golden light passed through Daenerys’s hand and into Opalia’s body. Right before their eyes the damaged part of Opalia’s wing started to glow and then heal.

Rhaegar’s white eyebrows shot up to his hairline out of shock. “She’s healing Opalia. Wait, no…the young prince Jaelarys is healing Opalia with his power.”

Jon was watching Opalia getting healed and was equally impressed. Their son Jaelarys was doing this. _My son…!_ Jon thought proudly.

Rhaegar’s lavender eyes flared as he came to a sudden realization. “Now that Opalia’s wing has been healed she doesn’t have to remain on the island. She could live at Dragonstone. She would be safer there. The two of you should-”

“Ray!” Grimes’s angry voice reached their ears. It was coming from directly outside the cave. “We’ve finally found you! There is no escape! We tracked the black dragon here. Get your ass out here and stop hiding, you coward!”

“The Green Men…shit,” Rhaegar swore. “They’ve finally found us. I suppose it was only a matter of time. They’ll never let you leave this island alive.” The Dragon Lord turned to Daenerys and Jon. “Daenerys, take the eggs and get on Drogon. Aegon, you ride Opalia. You both need to leave this place now and return to King’s Landing. You need to stop The Doom and save everyone.”

“What about you? We can’t just leave you behind,” Jon argued, giving his father an emotional look.

“I’ll lead them away,” Rhaegar began in a grim tone. “I’ll be a decoy. After they start to chase me, you both need to leave this isle.” The Dragon Lord walked over and grabbed a bow and quiver of arrows and a spear. He turned to Jon and gave him a fierce look. “I need you to keep on living, my son. Please, look after Daenerys.” Rhaegar unexpectedly pulled Jon in for a hug.

Jon was so caught off guard it took him a moment before he hugged his father back. “Father…” Jon murmured softly.

Rhaegar’s lavender-colored eyes filled with tears but he didn’t let them fall. “I never thought I’d be called that. Thank you, my son. May the old gods keep you both safe.” Rhaegar turned to face Daenerys. “Take care not to let the madness take hold of you again. Surround yourself by your family and friends. Solitude breeds madness. Love your husband and children fiercely. Be kind to others. Love and kindness are medicine for the sick mind. Don’t become a villain. Become a hero. Become the Savior Queen Terra said you can become. I know you’ll make a fine queen. Farewell, little sister.”

“I’ll try my best,” Daenerys promised, her voice thick with emotion.

A strange feeling of déjà vu swept over Jon as he watched Rhaegar head for the mouth of the cave and he remembered how Uncle Benjen had sacrificed his life to save Jon from the wights. _It’s the same._ Jon thought with a sinking feeling inside of his chest. “No!” Jon objected. “Rhaegar, I mean, father, please, come with us!”

Rhaegar glanced over his shoulder and gave Jon a sad smile. “I appreciate the sentiment, son. But I’ve betrayed the Order of Green Men. The Children of the Forest _will_ take back the magic they used to bring me back to life. I’m already dead. Please, let me use the last of my life to allow you two to escape.”

“No…” Jon shook his head in denial. “You can’t die. I just found you.”

“I will always be with you, my son. Farewell.” Rhaegar left the cave.

“Shit,” Jon swore.

Daenerys carefully placed the three dragon eggs inside a backpack, which she put on. She then mounted Drogon while Jon mounted Opalia. They listened and waited until the sounds of battle grew farther and farther away from the cave. That’s when they exited the cave while mounted on their dragons. The dragons ran across the ground, flapped their wings and took off into the sky.

Drogon appeared eager to return to King’s Landing and headed in that direction. Opalia, however, seemed more reluctant to leave the island just yet and flew in the direction Rhaegar had gone. Jon looked down through the trees, and spotted his father fighting against then Green Men.

Rhaegar spun his spear and blocked the arrows they were sending his way. The Dragon Lord lunged his spear forward and stabbed Grimes. But Grimes just smiled evilly, revealing his bloody teeth and grabbed onto the pole of Rhaegar’s spear.

Rhaegar was unable to defend himself without his spear and the next volley of arrows that was sent Rhaegar’s way hit its mark. Multiple arrows pierced Rhaegar’s body.

“Father…no!” Jon yelled. Opalia let out a roar of despair.

Rhaegar smiled, headbutt Grimes, pulled his spear back and out of the Green Man, and continued to fight even though several arrows had pierced his body.

This is how Jon would always remember Rhaegar Targaryen - fighting until his last dying breath.

To be continued in…Chapter 11: The Doom


	11. The Doom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doom has come...!

Disclaimer: I do not own Game of Thrones or a Song of Ice and Fire.

 

Chapter 11: The Doom

 

Two months earlier…

When the ship Arya and Gendry were traveling on reached the port of Braavos they immediately disembarked and headed to the House of Black and White. It had taken thirty days to reach Braavos. They had made good time, but Arya was worried that they would arrive too late to stop whatever Jaqen was up to.

A chill crawled up Arya’s spine when she noted that not one, not two, but _eight_ Faceless Men were standing guard outside the enormous black and white double doors to the temple.

The assassins were never out in plain sight like that, but now their white hooded cloaks, and flashy white and black leather bodysuits were on full display. A few of the residents of Braavos were shooting the Faceless Men curious looks as they passed by, but none dared to stick around or ask questions.

The assassins had their white hoods raised and shielding the features of their faces. They were holding a five-foot-long, pole weapon that had an axe blade mounted on one end that was topped with a spike. The halberd was the Faceless Men’s traditional weapon and weapon of choice, which is why Arya had been trained in the art of staff fighting in order to prepare her for the day she was ready to wield a halberd.

Gendry noticed Arya’s trepidation right away, and grew concerned. “What is it?”

“They never have guards posted outside the House of Black and White like that…” Arya said in a low, hurried voice. “We may already be too late. We must get inside the temple!”

A grim expression settled over Gendry’s face and he tightened his two-handed grip on his hammer. “Sure.”

“Try not to kill them if you can. They _want_ to be killed for some reason. I don’t want to play into Death’s hands,” Arya cautioned.

“Understood,” Gendry said.

Arya and Gendry approached the black and white double doors. “I’m here to see Jaqen. Let me pass,” Arya said in a haughty manner.

Two of the Faceless Men crossed their halberds in front of the double doors, barring Arya’s way. The men glanced at each other, smiled, and when one looked back at Arya he reached up and lowered his hood to reveal his face. The man had tanned skin, wavy black hair and brown eyes. The Faceless Man rubbed a hand over his face and it changed into Jaqen’s face.

Gendry sucked in a surprised breath at the sight of someone’s face transforming into someone else’s.

Arya felt a pang in her chest at the familiar sight of Jaqen’s handsome face: his shoulder-length, wavy, copper hair that had a single strand of white in it, and his intelligent blue-gray eyes. Arya had never noticed it before, but there was a little violet in his eyes.

“A girl is late to the party,” Jaqen began in his usual charming, conversational tone. “It has already begun.” As if in response to Jaqen’s words the ground beneath Arya and Gendry’s feet began to tremble. “The Doom is coming. Death will take the lives of those your brother Jon stole from him. He will destroy King’s Landing.”

“Jaqen, why are you even doing this?” Arya asked, giving the Faceless Man a searching look. “What did the people of King’s Landing ever do to you?”

Jaqen’s stare turned hard. “I am Death’s loyal Commander. I’m also doing this because I am Memory.”

“Memory?” Arya prodded, titling her head curiously.

“The blood of the slaves of Valyria flows through my veins…” Jaqen started to explain. “As does Targaryen blood. I have dreams that are actually memories of the suffering of my people. The slaves of Valyria were forced to work in the mines of the seven magical volcanoes, wining gold and precious gems. The conditions were so horrible many began to long for Death. Wish for Death. Death started to be considered a precious gift.”

“That’s awful,” Gendry said sympathetically.

Jaqen nodded grimly. “Many slaves committed suicide by jumping into the lava pits. Their desperate prayers for vengeance were answered by Death. Death started to grant the slaves magical powers - the ability to take a person’s face and use it as their own. A good skill to have to carry out assassinations. This is how the first Faceless Men came to be.

“The Faceless Men killed many Valyrians for the crimes committed against their slaves.” Jaqen fingered his lock of white hair. “Sometimes the Valyrians raped their slaves and that union spawned children. Children who were forced to become slaves and work in the mines. Even if they had royal blood flowing through their veins. I have royal blood flowing through my veins from House Targaryen’s sordid legacy.”

Arya sucked in a surprised breath. “You have blood-ties to Daenerys and Jon?”

“It’s ironic isn’t it? How Jon Snow was considered to be a bastard for most of his life only to have the secret of his origins revealed. Rhaegar and Lyanna were married and so Jon is Aegon Targaryen and the rightful heir to the throne. I, on the other hand, am descended from an unwanted Targaryen bastard who became the first Faceless Man, which is why I possess these memories.” A self-deprecating smile curled Jaqen’s lips.

“The first Faceless Man…” Arya echoed. “But how could the slaves become Faceless Men if they killed themselves?”

“Some of the slaves who offered their life to Death in the hopes of getting revenge upon the Valyrians were turned into Faceless Men in order to carry out Death’s will while others willingly gave up their life to give their face to the cause,” Jaqen explained. “They usually drank poison so that their faces could be removed and cured. We killed many evil Valyrians and punished them for their crimes against the slaves. But that didn’t stop the other Valyrians from keeping slaves, using them, forcing them to work the mines, or warm their beds. We were trapped. We wanted to be free. Death and Destruction was the only way.”

“Seems a little extreme. Why not have a normal revolution?” Gendry questioned, raising an eyebrow at Jaqen. Arya elbowed Gendry in his side. “Ow!”

Jaqen shot Gendry an irritated look. “All of the slaves gathered together and prayed to The Many-Faced God for the destruction of Valyria. For vengeance. For revenge. And Death answered, and told them how their wish could be granted. All the slaves had to do was get their hands on a dragon egg and perform a certain ritual which entailed sacrificing 9,999 lives to Death. The slaves sacrificed themselves by jumping into the lava pits…”

“And then what happened?” Arya asked.

“The Doom came for Valyria,” Jaqen said simply.

“But what _is_ The Doom?” Arya asked insistently.

“A girl shall see soon,” Jaqen said.

“No. A girl shall not see,” Arya snapped out in a frustrated manner. “I’m going to stop you, Jaqen!” She whipped out her Valyrian dagger and attacked.

Jaqen blocked her attack with his halberd. The other Faceless Men started to target Gendry, and the blacksmith valiantly fought back with his hammer.

Arya frowned. The long reach of the halberd made it difficult for Arya to slip past his defenses. She only had one choice. Arya threw her dagger and it impaled Jaqen’s chest, stabbing him right through the heart.

Jaqen fell back to the ground where he lay unmoving. Arya watched as Jaqen’s face shifted to the man’s original face, which was pale, freckled, squinty-eyed and had short blonde hair. This body hadn’t been Jaqen’s original body either…

Arya sensed an attack coming from behind and ducked. A halberd swooped over her crouched form. Arya spun, grabbed her dagger out of the Faceless Man’s corpse, and turned to face her new opponent.

“9,959…” Jaqen said in a casual tone.

Gendry swung his hammer and destroyed the blade of a halberd. The blacksmith charged forward and swung his hammer at a Faceless Man’s head and bashed it in.

Jaqen smiled grimly. “Make that 9,960…”

“Gendry, don’t kill them!” Arya snapped.

“Easier said than done,” Gendry grumbled. “These bastards are fast.”

“Your resistance here accomplishes nothing,” Jaqen drawled.

“Maybe. But I have to try,” Arya said, and then a sudden thought occurred to her. “You know…Daenerys freed the slaves in Meereen.”

Jaqen expression darkened. “And that’s supposed to make up for the suffering of my people? I’m supposed to forgive the Targaryens because their descendant saw the light? No. It’s too little, too late. I must have vengeance for my people!”

Arya’s eyes narrowed at the Faceless Man. “Your people? _Jaqen H’ghar’s_ people? I thought you were ‘no one’. Death’s Commander? I thought you were doing all this for him, and not yourself. Not for Jaqen H’ghar.”

“I…want what Death wants…” Jaqen stammered uneasily, sweat forming on his brow. “The destruction of King’s Landing. Aegon Targaryen and Daenerys Targaryen…dead. Death on the Iron Throne. Vengeance. Revenge.”

Arya snorted. “Death doesn’t want Jon and Dany dead. He just wants _everyone_ dead.”

“Everyone…?” Jaqen echoed in a hollow tone.

“What about your people here?” Arya demanded suddenly, noticing the odd, conflicted look on Jaqen’s face. “They’re the descendants of the slaves of Valyria, right? The free people of Braavos. Will The Doom spare them?”

“The people here need to be avenged…” Jaqen said slowly.

“The people here don’t even remember the atrocities that were committed upon their ancestors in Valyria,” Arya said, slashing her hand through the air. “That was in the past. These people are the future. Haven’t your people suffered enough? Sacrificed enough? Why should they have to give up their lives _again_?”

“To kill the last two Targaryens…” Jaqen explained. “Our final enemies.”

“So the people of Braavos will die…just to kill two people?” Arya huffed. “Sounds like a bad deal to me. You could have just tried to assassinate Jon and Dany _yourself_. Why did you have to bring the people of Braavos into it? Why sacrifice them all for your own revenge?”

“ _My_ revenge?” Jaqen scoffed, shaking his head. “No. It’s _our_ revenge. The Tagaryens must die!”

“Targaryens.” Arya let out a thoughtful hum. “Weren’t they supposed to be a small House? And you’re telling me they were royalty. Why was that changed in the history books, I wonder. The Doom failed to get them the last time. I wonder why. Is it because they’re powerful enough to challenge Death? Are they a threat to the Many-Faced God, perhaps? Is that the _real_ reason why they must be destroyed, Jaqen?”

A glazed look settled over Jaqen’s face for a moment. “The dark cannot exist without the light. The Targaryens are the Light and Death is the Dark. Two sides of a coin. Good and Evil,” Jaqen muttered in a crazed tone.

Arya raised her eyebrows at Jaqen. “So, I was right. You really are just Death’s pawn in all this. You do realize you just called the Targaryens ‘Light’ and ‘Good’, right?”

“No!” Jaqen objected, wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. “That can’t be right. What I remember is…I remember…the Valyrians. The Targaryens…they…or wait, was it another House? No, I’m sure it was the Targaryens…” Jaqen gripped his head as he tried to sort out his memories.

“Who told you it was the Targaryens, Jaqen?” Arya asked keenly.

Jaqen looked up at Arya with haunted eyes. “The Many-Faced God.”

“Daenerys is the Breaker of Chains, Jaqen.” Arya gave Jaqen a pointed look. “I think Death is playing you for a fool.”

The blood started to drain out of Jaqen’s face and he shook his head vigorously. “No. That can’t be. Why would he lie to me?”

“He wants the Iron Throne. You said so yourself. He’s _not_ helping you. You’re helping him. He’s using you, Jaqen! Just like how he tried to use me to kill Cersei. Please, Jaqen, it’s not too late to stop this madness!” Arya said beseechingly, giving Jaqen a desperate, pleading look.

“But it _is_ too late for me. For everyone. They have my body. They’re going to…!” Jaqen shuddered. He focused on Arya with a bleak look on his face. “A girl should get out of here quickly before it’s too late. Go! Save yourself!”

“I won’t leave you, Jaqen,” Arya said stubbornly.

Jaqen eyed Arya in bewilderment. “But…why?”

“I already told you before…” Arya said, offering Jaqen a lopsided smile. “You’re my friend.”

Jaqen’s expression softened as he gazed at the petite assassin. “Jaqen H’ghar is honored to be considered Arya Stark’s friend. Now, leave this place. The Doom is almost upon us. I…. _ahhhhh!_ ” Jaqen cried out in pain and his face faded from the Faceless Man standing in front of Arya.

“Shit. We need to get inside,” Arya said. “Gendry, you know what to do.”

“Right,” Gendry said.

Arya distracted the Faceless Men one by one, and Gendry would sneak up behind them and hit them over the back of their head with the pole-end of his hammer, not hard enough to kill them, but hard enough to knock them out cold. They defeated the seven remaining Faceless Men quickly in this manner.

Arya and Gendry pushed the black and white double doors open and ran inside. “This way!” Arya said as she took off running through the great hall with the poison pool and religious icons, and for the stairwell that led down to the Hall of Faces.

Gendry followed close behind Arya, and couldn’t help but look around at the statues and religious icons of the old gods and new. These were the many ‘faces’ of the Many-Faced God. _So many worship Death unknowingly in one of his many forms._ Gendry recognized The Stranger, a weirwood face, the Drowned God, the Fiery Heart, a Black Goat, the Lion of Night, and the Weeping Woman.

Arya and Gendry ran down the narrow stone staircase and entered the Hall of Faces. Wide-eyed, Gendry looked around at the hundreds of pillars with shelves displaying the faces of all those who’d died at the House of Black and White. “Seven hells! What the hell is this? Where did all these faces come from? There must be _thousands_ …”

A dark scowl formed on Arya’s face as she looked at the number of faces on display. “There are more than before. The Faceless Men have been busy. Most of these faces come from those who came to the House of Black and White seeking the gift of Death. The gift was given to them and their face taken. Sometimes their face was payment to take the life of another. A life for a life.”

The sound of chanting reached Arya and Gendry’s ears. A chill crawled up Arya’s spine, and the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. “This way!” Arya and Gendry ran through the Hall of Faces while the ground shook beneath their feet. They turned a corner to see forty Faceless Men gathered in a circle around a stone altar.

Someone was strapped to the altar. Someone Arya recognized. _Jaqen!_ Jaqen was naked from the waist up. Arya ran forward towards the altar without thinking. “Jaqen! Let him go!”

“Seize her!” a Faceless Man called out.

“Arya! Shit!” Gendry swore.

Jaqen stopped struggling against his bonds and turned to look at Arya with wide eyes. A resigned expression settled over his face. “Do not harm the girl. It is Death’s desire that she bear witness to the ritual, and _his_ awakening.”

“As you wish, Commander Jaqen,” the Faceless Man said with a nod.

Arya was grabbed by two Faceless Men and quickly disarmed. Gendry was also grabbed and disarmed. The chanting resumed. Two Faceless Women approached the altar. One was holding the dragon egg, and the other was holding a wickedly curved dagger.

“The dragon egg…” Gendry murmured. “What are they going to do with it?”

The Faceless Woman with the dagger stood beside the altar, held the dagger in a two-handed grip, raised it over Jaqen’s body, and then brought it down upon him, stabbing him right in the stomach. “Jaqen! No!” Arya shouted. The Faceless Woman coldly ignored Arya’s cry and began to cut Jaqen’s stomach open.

“I can’t watch!” Arya turned and buried her face in Gendry’s chest.

Gendry placed a hand on Arya’s head while keeping his gaze fixated on Jaqen. The man was biting hard into his lower lip and trying not to cry out, blood streaming down his chin. But eventually the pain became too much for even Jaqen to bear and he started to scream.

Once the Faceless Woman was finished with her task the assassin, who was holding the dragon egg approached. She stood beside the altar and then reached down to put the dragon egg inside of Jaqen’s stomach. Gendry sucked in a horrified breath at the unexpected sight.

“What is it?” Arya questioned.

“They…put the dragon egg _inside_ of Jaqen,” Gendry revealed, feeling sick.

Another Faceless Woman approached the altar; this one had a needle and thread. The Faceless Woman began to stitch Jaqen’s stomach closed while the other Faceless Men chanted: “Doom! Doom! Doom!” Once the Faceless Woman had finished stitching Jaqen’s stomach, she stepped back.

“It is time!” one of the Faceless Men shouted. “ _Valar Morghulis_! All men must die!”

“ _Valar dohaeris!_ All men must serve!” the Faceless Men and Woman said in return.

After that, the Faceless Men and Women reached into their clothes and pulled out a vial filled with clear poison. They uncorked their vials and drank the poison.

Forty Faceless Men and Women collapsed to the floor around Arya and Gendry, including the men who’d been holding Arya and Gendry. As soon as Arya was free she ran over to Jaqen. “Jaqen! Tell me what to do! Tell me how to stop this!”

“It’s too late…” Jaqen panted out. “9,999 sacrifices to the Many-Faced God of Death have been made. The ritual is complete. The Doom is coming. Death will walk the land. Daenerys is your only hope. You must get out of here. Hurry, before… _ahhh!_ ” Jaqen threw his head back and started screaming in pain.

The Hall of Faces quaked and shook, and the human faces that were on display began to float up into the air. The faces hovered in the air for a moment before they flew off and headed towards Jaqen’s prone body.

Arya and Gendry watched in horror as the faces stuck themselves to Jaqen’s body, and then started to assimilate with him until Jaqen had turned into a shapeless, blob of rippling flesh that was covered with multiple blinking eyeballs.

“What is that _thing_?” Gendry asked in horror.

The sight of the thing her handsome mentor had become equally disquieted Arya. “A monster. Come on, we have to get out of here! We must return to King’s Landing before it’s too late. Daenerys might need our help.”

Arya and Gendry started to run and they headed for the staircase that would lead them back into the great hall with the poison pool. Behind them the blob of flesh was growing bigger and bigger by the second as the faces were being sucked into Jaqen’s body.

They glanced over their shoulders; tentacles were starting to sprout out of the blob of flesh and eyeballs. “Tentacles!” Arya squeaked.

“The Drowned God?” Gendry asked. “Is that thing going to become a kraken?” The tentacles increased in size rapidly and started to pursue Arya and Gendry.

“You cannot escape Death, Arya Stark,” a deep, booming voice intoned, echoing off the stone walls inside the Hall of Faces. “There is no hope. The Doom is coming for you all!”

Arya and Gendry were forced to duck and dodge tentacles as they made their way to the staircase. The duo reached the staircase and started up it while a tentacle pursued them.

“It’s still coming after us!” Gendry shouted, his eyes wide with fear.

“Don’t look back. Just keep running! We have to get back to the ship!” Arya yelled back.

The duo continued to run up the stairs, and it felt like forever until they finally reached the great hall. They ran past the poison pool and headed for the front double doors. Gendry pushed the doors open and they exited the temple. The duo kept on running all the way to the harbor where their ship was waiting for them.

Arya and Gendry were ascending the gangplank to their ship when a tremendous boom rocked the air as the House of Black and White suddenly exploded. Large chunks of rock whizzed through the air dangerously. And seconds later, enormous, eighty-foot-long tentacles started to burst up and out of the rubble.

Arya and Gendry watched in horror as the tentacles began to destroy Braavos and the people who lived there, smashing buildings and flattening people. There was no escaping that monster. “All those poor people…” Gendry lamented.

“We must get to King’s Landing as soon as possible. According to Jaqen Daenerys is our only hope. But…that thing is going to head for King’s Landing too…” Arya mused and turned to the Captain and crew of the ship. “Camouflage the ship and remain quiet until that monster has passed us. Then we set sail to King’s Landing! We’ll follow the beast!”

“Aye!” the crew called back and started to take out sheets of canvas material that had been painted gray. The crew began to cover the entire ship, even the sails, with the gray canvas material until the ship resembled a lone rock floating in the ocean.

Now all they could do was wait, and hope the monster would ignore them as it swam past.

***

One month later from the time Arya and Gendry made their escape from Braavos…

Present Day…

Daenerys let out a sigh of relief when she spotted the shores of King’s Landing from her spot on Drogon’s back. They’d finally arrived. Her relief was short lived, however, when something _else_ came into view. Her eyes widened in shock and disbelief. _What the hell is that being? That monster?_ Daenerys wondered.

The creature was gargantuan, larger than a giant at two-hundred-feet-tall. From the waist up it the being had a male humanoid appearance that was surprisingly handsome with his shoulder-length copper hair and blue eyes with flecks of purple. Below the waist it had the tentacles of an octopus. Each tentacle was eighty-feet-long.

“Is that the Drowned God?” Jon shouted to Daenerys from his position on Opalia’s back.

Daenerys’s eyes widened as she came to a sudden conclusion. _The Drowned God. A sea god. A kraken._ She recalled the tapestry hanging in her bedchamber in the Red Keep that Sansa had described to her. Apparently, it had depicted The Doom of Valyria with tentacles of lava flying through the air. This creature must have been rising up out of one of the volcanoes…

“Jon! That’s The Doom of Valyria!” Daenerys shouted back. “The Doom must have been a monster that is half-titan half-kraken.”

Jon was staring at the monster in horror. It was wielding an enormous halberd that was fifty-feet-long. The monster’s tentacles were eerily covered with giant eyeballs that blinked periodically. Jon shuddered. It was a nightmarish monster.

At the same time, due to the monster’s handsome face Jon couldn’t help but think the word: _god._

The creature had already reached the shore of King’s Landing and was already attacking. Its tentacles were whipping through the air and being brought down on the ground with terrifying results as it flattened buildings and people.

Jon watched as a tentacle swung out, hit a tower, and destroyed it, chunks of rock flying through the air dangerously. When the tentacles destroyed certain buildings, green flames erupted, causing even more damage as the buildings nearby were also caught on fire.

Daenerys watched as the people were running and screaming through the narrow streets while trying to escape the monster. The creature’s tentacles were eighty-feet-long, however, and so fleeing seemed rather pointless when the tentacle came down to fill an entire street and flattened all of the people who only seconds before had been running for their lives.

Death had come to collect the souls Jon had stolen from him. “Come on, _we_ have to stop it!” Jon said adamantly to Dany.

Daenerys swallowed, nodded, and a fierce expression settled on her face. “Yes!”

Jon directed Opalia to fly towards the kraken. “Dracarys!” Jon ordered his dragon as soon as they were close enough. Opalia opened her maw and unleashed a stream of fire the kraken’s way.

Daenerys swooped down towards the kraken on Drogon next. “Dracarys!” she shouted once she deemed them close enough. Drogon let out a fierce roar before opening his maw and unleashing a stream of fire the monster’s way.

The dragons continued to fly around the kraken while unleashing blast after blast of fire its way. The monster’s flesh was being burned and started to melt off its bones, but then Jon and Daenerys watched as the being’s flesh started to regenerate. All the damage they’d manage to cause the monster was healed in seconds.

That’s when the Many-Faced God started to spin his halberd. Using his magical control over the element of water, he created a shield out of water to protect himself with. The next time Drogon attacked the monster, the fire attack hit the shield of water and was dissipated instantly.

“He can control the element of water!” Daenerys yelled to Jon. “What should we do?”

“Let’s combine our dragons’ attacks,” Jon suggested. “Target the shield at the same time. Now!” Drogon and Opalia targeted the shield at the same time, a huge column of fire heading the monster’s way.

The Many-Faced God just smiled sinisterly, revealing pointed, shark-like teeth. He was obviously amused by their pitiful, futile efforts. “That won’t work, Dragon Lords,” The Many-Faced God sneered, his lip curling with disdain. “The entire sea is under my dominion. Your end has come! The Doom is here!”

Daenerys and Jon watched as their powerful dual attack hit the water shield and was dissipated just as their smaller attacks had been.

“That kraken-titan must have a weakness…” Jon muttered darkly to himself. “Opalia! Let’s target its head! Come on!”

Daenerys watched as Jon and Opalia started to fly recklessly towards the monster. “Jon! What are you doing?” Daenerys watched with baited breath as Opalia managed to get past the halberd’s defenses. Then Opalia opened her maw, and prepared to unleash a stream of fire the kraken’s way, aiming for its face. However-

A tentacle appeared out of nowhere, slammed into Opalia, and sent the dragon and Jon flying. Appalled, Daenerys watched as Opalia and Jon crashed into a building and caused it to collapse into a pile of rubble. “Jon! Opalia! No!” Jon and Opalia were completely covered by the rubble and disappeared from sight. Daenerys tightened her grip on the spikes along Drogon’s back until her knuckles turned white.

Now she was up here all alone. Now it was up to her to stop this monster. Now it was up to her to save everyone. Save King’s Landing and be the Savior Queen and _not_ the Mad Queen and Queen of the Ashes.

Daenerys leaned over to yell in Drogon’s ear: “Come on, Drogon, we must defeat that monster. It’s up to us now. We must do this. We must save everyone!”

Drogon swooped down towards the kraken-titan, and when the dragon was close enough he opened his maw and unleashed a stream of fire the Many-Faced God’s way.

The kraken-titan spun his halberd and created a shield of water to block the attack. “Your efforts are futile, Daenerys Targaryen. Your dragon’s pitiful control over the element of fire is no match for my superior control over the element of water. I _will_ defeat you.”

The Many-Faced God pointed his halberd at Drogon suddenly and unleashed a stream of water Drogon’s way. Drogon had just been opening his maw to attack and got a mouthful of water as a result.

“Drogon! No!” Daenerys shouted in concern as her dragon coughed, sputtered and was unable to create fire.

“Without your dragon’s fire you have no way to fight me,” The Many-Faced God said, grinned widely. “You fight alone. You _can’t_ win. You _can’t_ save anyone!”

A wave of hopelessness and despair crashed over Daenerys at the monster’s words. The Many-Faced God was right. She _was_ alone. She _wasn’t_ powerful enough to defeat Death. She’d lose. She wouldn’t be able to save anyone. King’s Landing would be destroyed…

Just when Daenerys was about to give up all hope she started to hear voices - the voices of the people calling up to her and Drogon: “Queen Daenerys, save us!” “Dragon Queen, help us!” “Queen Daenerys, we believe in you!” “Queen Daenerys, don’t give up!” “Queen Daenerys, you can do it! Beat that monster!”

Suddenly, Daenerys no longer felt alone. The people were calling out to _her_ and not to Cersei this time. They needed her. They believed in her. They were there for her.

At that moment, Daenerys abruptly remembered that she also wasn’t alone because she had her son with her. She placed a hand over her stomach. “My little prince, please, I need your help. I need your magic to defeat this monster. Let’s do this together, Jaelarys.”

A golden light started to surround Daenerys’s stomach. Then Drogon’s body became enveloped in a golden aura. Lastly, Drogon’s eyes glowed brilliantly with a gold light.

Drogon started to fly towards the Many-Faced God, and this time Daenerys was not the one controlling the dragon - her son was. He was a _true_ Dragon Lord.

Drogon opened his maw and unleashed a stream of gold, magical energy the kraken-titan’s way. The magical energy attack pierced the Many-Faced God’s water shield and slammed into the monster’s torso, sending him flying back. The Many-Faced God crashed into a building, causing it to collapse. “Argh!” The monster let out an angry roar.

The people watching Daenerys’s battle against the kraken-titan cheered loudly.

But the Many-Faced God was soon pushing himself up off the ground, and he glared at Daenerys, his lavender eyes full of hate. “Don’t think you can beat me! I am Doom! I am the Darkness! I am the Many-Faced God of _Death_!” A malevolent aura flared up around the monster resembling black flames.

The Many-Faced God raised his halberd and it too became enveloped by a black aura. Then the kraken unleashed a blast of black magical energy Drogon’s way.

“ _Onos!_ Light!” Daenerys commanded her dragon. Drogon opened his maw and unleashed a stream of gold, magical energy the Many-Faced God’s way.

The two energies collided in midair - black energy clashing against gold energy impressively.

_Light must fend off the darkness._ Daenerys thought to herself. _Good must defeat Evil._

The people of King’s Landing were captivated as they watched Daenerys battle the Death god. All of them were hoping and praying for a miracle.

Minutes passed when the golden energy began to push the black energy back. The Many-Faced God’s lavender-colored eyes widened in disbelief. “No! This can’t be happening! It’s impossible. Unless…the prince that was promised?”

“That’s right!” Daenerys shouted back at the Death god and placed a hand over her stomach. “A prince of ice and fire will be your undoing! And his name is Jaelarys!”

“A true Dragon Lord has come?” The Many-Faced God said darkly. “A being of pure magic. “ _Nooo!_ Damn you, Tagaryens! Damn you all!” The golden magical energy hit the torso of the kraken-titan and began to burn his flesh. The Many-Faced God cried out in pain and agony as his body was being destroyed.

Then the kraken-titan’s eyes glowed gold and all the eyes on his tentacles glowed before the monster exploded, hunks of flesh flying through the air in a gruesome manner.

Daenerys and Drogon stopped glowing once the monster had been completely obliterated. “I did it! No, _we_ did it, Jaelarys.” Daenerys patted her stomach affectionately. “I couldn’t have done it without you, my little prince…” A proud smile curled her lips. “My son.”

Once it became evident that the monster was good and truly dead and wouldn’t be moving again the people of King’s Landing began to cheer Daenerys’s victory.

“Queen Daenerys! Queen Daenerys! Queen Daenerys!” the people started to chant.

Daenerys’s eyes widened in surprise and she felt strangely touched. The people were cheerfully cheering her name. She’d saved them. She was the Savior Queen. _Not_ the Mad Queen or Queen of the Ashes.

The people didn’t fear her. They loved her.

Tears filled Daenerys’s gray-blue eyes at that realization. _I saved them. I’m not the villain. Jon made sure of that. He caught the coin and stayed my madness. I didn’t become the Mad Queen or Queen of the Ashes. I became the Savior Queen! The people don’t just fear me. Now, the people love me! I…can’t believe it. This…this is all I ever truly wanted. And I owe it all to Jon and my son Jaelarys._

_Jon…!_ Daenerys suddenly recalled that the last time she’d seen Jon on the battlefield he’d been covered by rubble. “Drogon, take us down to Jon and Opalia! Hurry!” _I hope he’s alright…_

Drogon flew down and landed beside Opalia’s fallen form. Daenerys dismounted Drogon, and began searching for Jon. “Jon? Jon! Where are you?”

“Ugh…Dany? I’m over here…” Jon called out weakly.

Daenerys followed the sound of Jon’s voice and found Jon half buried by a large slab of stone. “Jon!”

“I’m okay…I think. Nothing broken.” Jon offered Daenerys a tremulous smile. “I think I lost consciousness for a few minutes there though. What happened? Did you defeat the Many-Faced God of Death?”

A pink tinge rose to Daenerys’s cheeks. “Well, I didn’t defeat the Many-Faced God all on my own. I had a little help.” She placed a hand over her stomach and a proud smile curled her lips.

Jon’s eyebrows rose. “Jaelarys helped you conquer Death?”

Daenerys nodded. “Indeed. Our little prince will be a true Dragon Lord. A new age of dragons has come. Westeros will become known as New Valyria. Dragon Lords will be seen flying through the skies on the dragons once again,” Daenerys said in a firm tone.

“That sounds amazing,” Jon said with a wistful note to his voice. “New Valyria…that will be a sight to see indeed. But, even if our son is destined to be a Dragon Lord that doesn’t mean we should let him ride his dragon too early. Maybe when he turns eighteen…”

“Eighteen?” Daenerys scoffed. “According to my brother Viserys Dragon Lords learned to ride their dragons not long after they learned how to walk!”

Jon snorted. “That was _obviously_ an exaggeration in the history books. Twelve at the earliest.”

“We shall see.” A mischievous twinkle formed in Daenerys’s gray-blue eyes. “Maybe I should just keep you buried beneath that pile of rubble and come back in twelve years.”

“What? You don’t want my help to raise our son? I’m hurt.” Jon pouted. “If you keep me buried beneath this rubble I’ll never be able to make love to you again.” Jon’s voice had grown husky.

Daenerys tapped her chin in a considering manner. “That would be a shame. Sex is one of the few things you’re actually good at. My King,” she teased.

Jon shuddered. “I love it when you call me that.”

“Is that so, My King?” Daenerys purred.

“Oh shit…I’m getting hard and there’s a rock on top of my cock!” Jon complained, giving Daenerys a pleading look. “Get this thing off of me before I damage something that’s actually important.”

“Oh dear, you’re quite right. Drogon, do us a favor and get that rock off of Jon, would you?” Daenerys said.

Drogon walked over, grabbed the rock with his forepaws, and lifted the rock off of Jon before tossing it aside. It was a strangely human looking action that had Jon gawking at the dragon and wondering just how smart Drogon really was.

Daenerys held her hand down to Jon to help him up. Jon took her hand and allowed himself to be pulled up. He looked around and spotted Opalia. “Opalia!” He ran over to the dragon and let out a sigh of relief when he noted the rise and fall of Opalia’s chest. “She’s just sleeping. How are the eggs, Dany?”

Daenerys patted her backpack. “Safe.”

Jon pet Opalia’s snout with obvious affection, and Daenerys watched him in surprise. “I thought you didn’t want a dragon?” she teased.

“I want this one. She belonged to my father…” Jon said.

Daenerys let out a thoughtful hum. “I thought you didn’t want the throne?”

“Well, not that’s we’ve claimed it and I plan to do more naughty things to you on that throne I definitely want it now,” Jon said.

“I thought you didn’t want me?” Daenerys said softly, recalling her dreams of Jon rejecting her, which she now knew happened in a possible future.

“I was an idiot,” Jon said fiercely before pulling Daenerys into his arms. He cupped her face and stared down into her blue-gray eyes. “I want you so bad it hurts.”

Daenerys looked up at Jon and shuddered as she noticed the lust and hunger in his gaze. “I love you. Thank you for saving me, My King. Thank you for catching the coin.”

Jon offered Dany a crooked smile. “Anytime, My Queen.” He leaned over and kissed Daenerys passionately. A few people who’d started to gather nearby began to cheer at the sight of their King and Queen kissing.

Jon thought he heard Arya’s voice in the crowd: “Get a room, you two horny bastards!”

“Arya!” Sansa’s chiding voice reached his ears next. “You can’t call the King and Queen ‘horny bastards’!” Her tone was scandalized.

“Alright, give us a show! Whoo!” Clegane hooted.

“Sandor, do behave. Or else I’ll have to punish you later, dog,” Sansa teased in a sultry voice.

“Woof,” Sandor replied.

“I’m surrounded by freaks,” Gendry moaned to himself.

Arya looped her arms around Gendry’s neck and smiled up at him impishly. “Yes, but I know you love us.”

Gendry pouted down at the petite assassin. “I only love _you_.”

Arya stood up on her tiptoes and kissed Gendry.

“Who’s the horny bastard now, girl?” Clegane let out a chuckle.

Arya held up her middle finger in Clegane’s direction.

They all laughed, and for once their laughter wasn’t tinged with bitterness but with hope for the future.

THE END

Author’s Note: Thank you for reading ‘Catching the Coin’! And a huge thank you to all the kind people who left me Kudos for this work! When I have more time I plan to do another edit on this piece to polish it up. I might also add some Sansa/The Hound smut and more Arya/Gendry smut. Also, for those who want to know what Daenerys and Jon’s son will look like, google “Shoto Todoroki”! I really wanted to do a FLASHFORWARD about their son Jaelarys but work is getting in my way. When things have settled down though I may get around to writing it, so keep an eye out for it! If you enjoyed my writing style stalk me at facebook.com/authorkurokonekokamen and Twitter @KurokonekoKamen


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